Detection and discrimination of frequency glides as a function of direction, duration, frequency span, and center frequency

Abstract

The study investigated the ability to detect and discriminate frequency glides under a variety of experimental conditions. The subjects distinguished between a comparison signal that either was level in frequency or was swept across a fixed frequency span, and a target signal that changed more in frequency than the comparison signal. Tone durations were 50 and 400 ms. Nominal center frequencies were 0.5, 2, and 6 kHz; actual center frequencies were varied randomly, or roved, over a range equal to 0.1 times the nominal center frequency. Up- and down-glides were used. The transition span of the comparison signal was either 0, 0.5, 1, or 2 times the equivalent rectangular bandwidth of the auditory filter at the nominal center frequency. Discrimination thresholds were obtained for all combinations of center frequency, direction, and span. Overall, thresholds expressed as delta Hz/ERB varied little as a function of center frequency. Glide duration had no effect on discrimination. The 50-ms down-glides were more difficult to detect than the 50-ms up-glides; otherwise, the effect of direction was not significant. With the exception of the 50-ms down-glides, detection/discrimination thresholds were similar for the 0-, 0.5-, and 1-ERB transition spans, but increased significantly for the 2-ERB span. The absence of significant variation across frequency supports a place mechanism for the detection of frequency change in gliding tones, based on the detection of changes in the excitation pattern. An excitation pattern model cannot account for the asymmetry noted for glide detection, however.

Searching for an Explanation for Diphthong Perception: Dynamic Tones and Dynamic Spectral Profiles

“…The matches to rising glides were, on average, at frequencies slightly lower than two thirds of the way into the glide; falling glides received matches that were closer to the midpoint of 1,000 Hz. This confirms findings by Gardner and Wilson [1979], Madden and Fire [1997], Moore and Sek [1998, exper-iment 1, transition span of 0 Hz], Nábelek [1978], Pisoni [1976], Schouten [1985], and Smoorenburg and Coninx [1980], to the effect that falling tones are perceptually closer to steady-state tones than are rising ones. In all these studies, it is easier to discriminate stationary tones from rising than from falling glides, although the difference is usually small.…”

The perception of FM sweeps by Chinese and English listeners

“…That the auditory system, in general, is well equipped to analyze FM signals has been shown in a range of neurophysiological studies in animals (Whitfield and Evans, 1965;Suga, 1968;Heil et al, 1992;Mendelson et al, 1993;Eggermont, 1994Eggermont, , 2001Liang et al, 2002) as well as in human psychophysical (Schouten, 1985(Schouten, , 1986Dooley and Moore, 1988;Schouten and Pols, 1989;Viemeister, 1994a,b, 1997;Madden and Fire, 1997;Moore, 1997;Moore and Sek, 1992;Gordon and Poeppel, 2002) and brain imaging studies (Makela et al, 1987;Dimitrijevic et al, 2001;John et al, 2001John et al, , 2002Picton et al, 1987Picton et al, , 2003Boemio et al, 2005;Luo et al, 2006).…”

Pitch contour identification with combined place and temporal cues using cochlear implants

“…Future studies need to test if these two DF thresholds match with each other in individual CI users. Madden and Fire (1997) showed that NH listeners can detect 400-ms, 12-Hz frequency glides around 500 Hz. Although obtained with different experimental setups, these NH data were slightly lower than our CI users' DF thresholds.…”