Hearing threshold shift during auditory magnitude estimation.
The purpose of the present experiment was to determine the extent of hearing threshold shift that may occur during an auditory magnitude-estimation task involving stimulus intensities as great as 80 dB sensation level. Also, possible influences of hearing threshold shift on numerical magnitude-estimation responses and magnitude-function slopes were investigated. Results indicated that hearing threshold shift was insignificant (1-2 dB). Consistent small increases in numerical magnitude responses were observed on a magnitude-estimation task where hearing thresholds were retested between stimulus presentations versus a magnitude-estimation task where hearing thresholds were not retested. The stability of auditory magnitude functions across different conditions in the current investigation was in agreement with vibrotactile magnitude-scaling behavior observed by Fucci, et al. in 1989 and 1991. The over-all results supported the concept of an absolute, internal sensory-scaling mechanism being operable during magnitude estimation of auditory stimuli as discussed by Zwislocki and Goodman in 1980.
Harris
D
D
Healthcare Rehabilitation Center, Austin, Texas 78745.
Fucci
D
D
Petrosino
L
L
Belch
M
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001305:Auditory Fatigue; D001309:Auditory Threshold; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008144:Loudness Perception; D008297:Male; D011571:Psychoacoustics