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Pitch discrimination interference between binaural and monaural or diotic pitches
Hedwig E Gockel1, Robert P Carlyon, Christopher J Plack
1MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, Cambridge, United Kingdom. hedwig.gockel@mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk
The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America
|July 17, 2009
Summary
Pitch discrimination interference (PDI) impairs hearing complex tones. This study found that Huggins pitch and conventional complex tones are processed similarly, suggesting common neural pathways for pitch perception.
Area of Science:
- Auditory Neuroscience
- Psychoacoustics
- Signal Processing
Background:
- Pitch discrimination interference (PDI) occurs when a target tone's fundamental frequency (F0) discrimination is hindered by an interfering tone.
- PDI is most pronounced when the interferer and target share similar F0s, even across different spectral regions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate pitch discrimination interference (PDI) using monaural or diotic interferers and complex Huggins pitch (CHP) or diotic complex-tone targets.
- To determine if CHP is processed similarly to conventional complex tones regarding PDI.
Main Methods:
- Listeners performed pitch discrimination tasks with complex tones and Huggins pitch stimuli.
- Monaural or diotic complex-tone interferers were used alongside diotic complex-tone or CHP targets.
- Pitch matching accuracy was assessed for CHP and compared to diotic complex tones in noise.
Main Results:
- Listeners perceive a "complex Huggins pitch" (CHP) corresponding to the F0 when specific phase transitions are present.
- The accuracy of pitch matches for CHP was comparable to that of diotic complex tones in noise.
- Significant PDI was observed with CHP targets, similar to that found with conventional diotic complex-tone targets.
Conclusions:
- Complex Huggins pitch (CHP) is perceived by listeners and can be subject to pitch discrimination interference.
- CHP and conventional complex tones are likely processed through common neural mechanisms at the stage where PDI occurs.
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