Time Separation Pitch Associated with Noise Pulses

Abstract

Previous research has shown that time separation pitch (TSP) is elicited by the monaural presentation of two ac or dc pulse trains, one train delayed with respect to the other, and is related to the reciprocal of time separation between leading edges of proximal pulses of the two trains. TSP has not been observed previously using uncorrelated noise pulses. On the assumption that TSP is mediated by an autocorrelational process, it was predicted that TSP would obtain using correlated-noise pulses that were produced by an “acoustic delay” system. Uncorrelated-noise pulses served as a control condition. Subjects matched the pitch of a pure tone to the pitches associated with the pulse trains. The results were as predicted. A TSP-like effect arising from continuous-noise samples was discussed and shown to be identical to TSP and, therefore, consonant with an autocorrelational theory. It was concluded that, at least for noise stimuli, temporally discrete waveforms are not necessary to elicit TSP perception; however, a high correlation between temporally adjacent waveforms is necessary to “trigger” TSP perception.