Year: 1982
Type: conference-abstract
Abstract: The ability of an observer to detect a change in the frequency of a signal is called frequency discrimination (Δf). Frequency discrimination is dependent upon both the signal level and signal frequency. Here, the hypothesis is that frequency discrimination at 1.0 kHz and above is based upon a principle of edge detection of excitation patterns present in the auditory nerve. For lack of more complete data, the high-frequency slopes of tuning curves of primary fibers are used as the criterion measures of the edge detector. There is excellent qualitative agreement between psychophysical data, which describe Δf as a function of signal level and signal frequency, and physiological data, which describe the high-frequency slope of a tuning curve as a function of signal level and characteristic frequency. A quantitative test requires additional physiological and psychophysical data. [Supported in part by an NINCDS contract and a grant from NIEHS.]
DOI: 10.1121/1.2020143
Authors: John H. Mills, Richard A. Schmiedt
Institution: Medical University of South Carolina
Language: English
Subfield: Sensory Systems
Field: Neuroscience
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W2059811599