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Effects of test procedure on individual loudness functions
L M Jenstad1, L E Cornelisse, R C Seewald
1Hearing Health Care Research Unit, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada.
Ear and Hearing
|November 14, 1997
Summary
Measurement procedures significantly impact loudness perception in normal-hearing listeners. The order of stimulus presentation and the use of reference tones affect loudness function exponents, suggesting context-dependent perception.
Area of Science:
- Auditory perception research
- Psychoacoustics
Background:
- Understanding loudness perception is crucial for audiology.
- Previous research has not fully explored measurement procedure effects on loudness functions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether measurement procedures influence loudness perception data.
- To determine the impact of stimulus presentation order and reference tones on loudness judgments.
Main Methods:
- Loudness perception was measured in 40 normal-hearing adults using pure tones across four frequencies.
- A 9-point categorical scale was used for judgments.
- Two presentation orders (random vs. sequential) and two group conditions (single tone vs. reference tone) were compared.
Main Results:
- Significant differences in loudness function exponents were observed between random and sequential presentation orders.
- The presence of a high-level reference tone also significantly altered loudness function exponents.
- An interaction between presentation sequence (ascending/descending) and group was found.
Conclusions:
- Measurement procedures demonstrably affect loudness function exponents in normal-hearing individuals.
- Stimulus context, such as preceding tones, influences loudness perception.
- Findings have implications for hearing aid fitting and loudness normalization strategies.