Effects of practice and signal energy on duration discrimination of brief auditory intervals. 1994

T H Rammsayer
Department of Psychology, University of Giessen, Germany.

In Experiment 1, the proposition that duration discrimination of filled auditory intervals is based on temporal information rather than on energy-dependent cues was tested in 64 naive subjects. The subjects were presented with two auditory stimuli at different levels of intensity within one trial, and had to decide which of the two was longer in duration. An adaptive psychophysical procedure was used. As a measure of performance, difference threshold estimates in relation to a 50-msec standard interval were computed. Duration discrimination showed no effect of energy values, indicating that the subjects' discrimination was independent of stimulus intensity. The goal of Experiments 2A and 2B was to investigate the effects of practice on duration discrimination which, in addition, may provide an indirect test for the potential use of energy-dependent cues. Effects of practice on duration discrimination of filled (Experiment 2A) and empty (Experiment 2B) intervals were studied in 6 subjects in each case, over 20 testing sessions. An adaptive psychophysical procedure that was similar to the one used in Experiment 1 was applied. Neither short-term effects of practice based on the first five testing sessions, nor long-term effects of practice based on the means of 4 consecutive weeks, could be demonstrated. The results of the present study suggest that duration discrimination of brief auditory intervals is based on temporal information and not on stimulus energy. Furthermore, implications for the notion of a very basic biological timing mechanism underlying temporal processing of brief auditory intervals in the range of milliseconds are discussed.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D004193 Discrimination Learning Learning that is manifested in the ability to respond differentially to various stimuli. Discriminative Learning,Discrimination Learnings,Discriminative Learnings,Learning, Discrimination,Learning, Discriminative
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000161 Acoustic Stimulation Use of sound to elicit a response in the nervous system. Auditory Stimulation,Stimulation, Acoustic,Stimulation, Auditory
D000328 Adult A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available. Adults
D001307 Auditory Perception The process whereby auditory stimuli are selected, organized, and interpreted by the organism. Auditory Processing,Perception, Auditory,Processing, Auditory
D013647 Task Performance and Analysis The detailed examination of observable activity or behavior associated with the execution or completion of a required function or unit of work. Critical Incident Technique,Critical Incident Technic,Task Performance,Task Performance, Analysis,Critical Incident Technics,Critical Incident Techniques,Incident Technic, Critical,Incident Technics, Critical,Incident Technique, Critical,Incident Techniques, Critical,Performance, Analysis Task,Performance, Task,Performances, Analysis Task,Performances, Task,Task Performances,Task Performances, Analysis,Technic, Critical Incident,Technics, Critical Incident,Technique, Critical Incident,Techniques, Critical Incident
D013997 Time Factors Elements of limited time intervals, contributing to particular results or situations. Time Series,Factor, Time,Time Factor

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