Abstract
The ability of trained observers to monitor the sequential inputs to two earphone channels was explored. In the independent same-different frequency discrimination tasks, the two temporally discrete standard stimuli were followed by two temporally discrete comparison stimuli such that the stimulus offset in the first channel was contiguous with the stimulus onset in the second. As with our earlier experiments [Ahroon, Pastore, and Wolz, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 56, S45 (1974)], one-monaural and two-dichotic (selective-attention and divided-attention) listening conditions, temporal separation of the standard and comparison stimuli facilitated performance in the trailing channel in selective attention tasks, but not in the divided attention tasks. However, performance under both dichotic conditions was significantly poorer than monaural performance, with backward interference more disruptive than forward interference. In addition, the data give no support for a model based on an analogue to a real-time computer-interrupt handling system in two-channel discrimination experiments. [Research supported by a graft from NINDS.]
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