Low-high-low or high-low-high? Pattern effects on sequential auditory scene analysis

Abstract

Sequential auditory scene analysis (ASA) is often studied using sequences of two alternating tones, such as ABAB or ABA_, with “_” denoting a silent gap, and “A” and “B” sine tones differing in frequency (nominally low and high). Many studies implicitly assume that the specific arrangement (ABAB vs ABA_, as well as low-high-low vs high-low-high within ABA_) plays a negligible role, such that decisions about the tone pattern can be governed by other considerations. To explicitly test this assumption, a systematic comparison of different tone patterns for two-tone sequences was performed in three different experiments. Participants were asked to report whether they perceived the sequences as originating from a single sound source ( integrated) or from two interleaved sources ( segregated). Results indicate that core findings of sequential ASA, such as an effect of frequency separation on the proportion of integrated and segregated percepts, are similar across the different patterns during prolonged listening. However, at sequence onset, the integrated percept was more likely to be reported by the participants in ABA_low-high-low than in ABA_high-low-high sequences. This asymmetry is important for models of sequential ASA, since the formation of percepts at onset is an integral part of understanding how auditory interpretations build up.

Perceptual tri-stability, measured and fitted as emergent from a model for bistable alternations

“…The order of the tone frequencies-whether transitioning from low to high to low, or vice versa-was often taken as of no consequence in studies on bi-stability. However, two studies concerning tri-stability (Denham et al, 2014;Thomassen et al, 2022) uncovered distinct behavioral patterns when contrasting high-low-high and low-high-low triplets. Denham et al (2014) suggested that specific tone frequencies influence the dominance pattern via perceptual saliency.…”