Authors:

CARLYON, R.P., Plack, C.J., Fantini, D.A. & CUSACK, R.

Reference:

Year of publication:

2003

CBU number:

5655

Abstract:

Carlyon et al (2001a) have reported that the build up of auditory streaming is reduced when attention is diverted to a competing auditory stimulus. Here, we demonstrate that a reduction in streaming can also be obtained by attention to a visual task or by the requirement to count backwards in threes. In all conditions participants heard a 13-sec sequence of tones, and, during the first 10 sec., saw a sequence of visual stimuli containing three, four, or five targets. The tone sequence consisted of 20 repeating triplets in an ABA_ABA.. order, where A and B represent tones of two different frequencies. In each sequence, three, four, or five tones were amplitude modulated. During the first 10 sec of the sequence participants either counted the number of visual targets, counted the number of (modulated) auditory targets, or counted backwards in threes from a specified number. They then made an auditory streaming judgement about the last 3 sec. of the tone sequence: whether one or two streams were heard. Results showed more streaming when participants counted the auditory targets (and hence were attending to the tones throughout) than in either the 'visual' or 'counting backwards' conditions.