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Auditory Perception

Auditory Perception

The auditory system is essential for sound perception, utilizing various critical structures. When sound waves enter the outer ear, they travel through the ear canal and cause the eardrum to vibrate. These vibrations are then transmitted to the middle ear, where three tiny bones – the malleus, incus, and stapes – amplify the sound. This amplification is crucial, as it ensures that the sound vibrations are strong enough to be conveyed to the inner ear. These vibrations then reach the...

The Cochlea

The Cochlea

The cochlea is a coiled structure in the inner ear that contains hair cells—the sensory receptors of the auditory system. Sound waves are transmitted to the cochlea by small bones attached to the eardrum called the ossicles, which vibrate the oval window that leads to the inner ear. This causes fluid in the chambers of the cochlea to move, vibrating the basilar membrane.

The Auditory Ossicles

The Auditory Ossicles

The auditory ossicles of the middle ear transmit sounds from the air as vibrations to the fluid-filled cochlea. The auditory ossicles consist of two malleus (hammer) bones, two incus (anvil) bones, and two stapes (stirrups), one on each side. These bones develop during the fetal stage and are the ones to ossify first. They are fully mature at birth and do not grow afterward.
The aptly named stapes look very much like a stirrup. The three ossicles are unique to mammals, and each plays a role in...

Hearing

Hearing

When we hear a sound, our nervous system is detecting sound waves—pressure waves of mechanical energy traveling through a medium. The frequency of the wave is perceived as pitch, while the amplitude is perceived as loudness.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 3, 2026

Behavioral Assessment of Hearing in 2 to 4 Year-old Children: A Two-interval, Observer-based Procedure Using Conditioned Play-based Responses

Behavioral Assessment of Hearing in 2 to 4 Year-old Children: A Two-interval, Observer-based Procedure Using Conditioned Play-based Responses

Published on: January 23, 2017

Killer whale (Orcinus orca) behavioral audiograms.

Brian K Branstetter¹, Judy St Leger², Doug Acton³

¹National Marine Mammal Foundation, 2240 Shelter Island Drive, No. 200, San Diego, California 92106, USA.

The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America

|May 4, 2017

Summary

Killer whale hearing sensitivity was reassessed, revealing a broader hearing range than previously thought. This study provides crucial data on killer whale (Orcinus orca) auditory perception for conservation efforts.

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Area of Science:

Marine Mammal Auditory Science
Bioacoustics
Odontocete Hearing

Background:

Killer whales (Orcinus orca) are cosmopolitan marine mammals susceptible to anthropogenic noise.
Previous studies indicated potential high-frequency hearing loss in killer whales, with best sensitivity between 15-20 kHz.
This suggested a particular sensitivity to acoustic disturbance in this species.

Purpose of the Study:

To determine the behavioral audiogram of eight killer whales across a wide frequency range (100 Hz to 160 kHz).
To reassess hearing sensitivity in killer whales and compare it with previous findings and other delphinids.
To provide updated auditory data for understanding impacts of anthropogenic noise on killer whales.

Main Methods:

Behavioral audiometry was conducted on eight killer whales aged 12 to 52 years at two facilities.
Hearing sensitivity was measured across frequencies from 100 Hz to 160 kHz.
Thresholds were determined using established psychophysical methods.

Main Results:

Previously reported low thresholds at 20 kHz were not replicated.
Killer whale hearing was generally similar to other delphinids.
Lowest hearing thresholds (49 dB re 1 μPa) were found around 34 kHz, with good hearing from 5 to 81 kHz.
Low-frequency cutoff (>100 dB re μPa) was 600 Hz, and high-frequency cutoff was 114 kHz.

Conclusions:

Killer whales exhibit a broader hearing range than suggested by previous limited data.
The species' auditory sensitivity is more comparable to other toothed whales (odontocetes).
Updated audiometric data are essential for assessing noise impacts and informing conservation strategies for killer whales.