title: Individual differences and left/right asymmetries in auditory space perception. I. Localization of low-frequency sounds in free field.
abstract: The number of subjects in studies on human spatial hearing is generally small. Therefore, individual differences and the factors underlying variability are unknown. In this study, we investigated across-listener variability in auditory localization abilities in a group of 50 naïve adults with normal hearing. Targets were trains of low-frequency noise bursts presented to 1 of 12 hidden speakers in the azimuthal plane. We observed less across-listener variability in the variance of individual responses but more in the root-mean-square and signed errors, which tended to increase with target angle. One third of the listeners demonstrated systematically smaller signed errors with left-sided targets than with right-sided ones. These asymmetries were observed less frequently in left-handers and females than in right-handers and males. Performance was not correlated with age. About 4 of 6 listeners trained with sensory feedback showed no reduction of asymmetries with training but rather showed a reduction in errors on their "best" side. Across-listener variability in the asymmetry of brain organization, notably linked to handedness or gender, is discussed.
authors: Laboratoire de Mécanique et d'Acoustique, CNRS UPR 7051, Equipe Acoustique Perceptive et Informatique Musicale, Marseille, France. savel@lma.cnrs-mrs.fr
authors: Sophie
authors: S
authors: Savel
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001676:Biofeedback, Psychology; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D013017:Sound Localization / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult