Year: 1973
Type: conference-abstract
Abstract: Typically, it is found that lower forms (rats, cats, and chinchillas) require a greater S/N ratio than does man in order to detect the presence of a pure-tone signal in a broad-band noise. Assuming Fletcher's formula to be an adequate means of estimating the operating bandwidth of the auditory system, one could come to the conclusion that these lower forms have larger critical ratios, larger critical bands, and, therefore, poorer frequency resolving ability than does man. However, the behavioral index of auditory sensitivity utilized in these experiments does not permit separation of behavioral criterion and auditory sensitivity. It seems probable that lower forms are trained to maintain a “high” criterion (low false-alarm rate) and, thereby, produce threshold measures of relatively high S/N ratio. Our efforts have been directed toward measuring both critical ratios and critical bands (band narrowing paradigm) utilizing both traditional threshold measures and criterion free indices of signal detection theory. Data obtained at signal frequencies of 500 Hz, 1, 2, and 4 kHz will be discussed in terms of (1) the relationship of critical ratios to critical bands as a function of frequency and (2) the effect of criterion contamination on the estimate of the critical ratio and therefore on the estimate of the frequency resolving power of the organism.
DOI: 10.1121/1.1982681
Authors: W. H. Seaton, C. Trahiotis
Institution: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Language: English
Subfield: Sensory Systems
Field: Neuroscience
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W2082888646