Authors:

GOCKEL, H., Carlyon, R.P. & Micheyl, C.M.

Reference:

Year of publication:

1999

CBU number:

3898

Abstract:

Listeners discriminated between the fundamental frequencies (F0s) of two harmonic target complexes. This ability can be impaired substantially by the presence of another complex (the "fringe") immediately before and after each target complex. The present study investigated the role of perceived location and ipsilateral vs. contralateral presentation of the fringes on F0 discrimination of the target. Experiment 1 used interaural level differences, and experiment 2 used interaural time differences to create a range of lateralized perceptions of the harmonic fringes. Difference limens for the F0 of the monaural target complex were measured in the presence and absence of the fringes. In both experiments, the effect of the fringes was reduced when their subjective location differed from that of the target. The effect of the fringes was reduced most (but still present), when fringes were presented purely contralaterally to the target. The results are consistent with the idea that the fringes produce interference when the listeners have difficulty segregating the target from the fringes, and that a difference in perceived location enhances segregation of the sequentially presented stimuli.