Interaural and monaural clicks and clocks: Tempo difference versus attention switching.

Abstract

We describe a quantitative model capable of explaining the results of all reported investigations of the counting of interaural and monaural click sequencies. The model is developed by means of three convergent operations: (a) reanalyzing absolute-estimation data of apparent repetition rates of interaural and monaural sequences, (b) deriving interaural and monaural counting times from numerosity-judgement data, and (c) analyzing the time that observers needed to respond to the end of interaural and monaural sequences. The combined evidence demonstrates that the perceived onset asynchrony (POA) between interaural events is 24 msec longer than that between monaural events. The model has three components: (a) a "stimulus clock," which represents the stimulus onset synchrony (SOA) between events; (b) a "memory clock," which represents the POA between events, and (c) a "counting clock," which represents the counter increment time. The transfer functions between the three clocks are deduced from empirical data. Other proposals to explain interaural click counting results (attention switching, streaming by locus, counterincrement deficit) are discussed and rejected.

Auditory spatial alternation transforms auditory time.

“…The POA differences between the interaural and monaural conditions at each SOA are also represented. The mean POA differences for Experiments 1-5 were 29.5, 18, 27, 34.5, and 25 msec, respectively, and these differences are in good agreement with the value of 24 msec that we found in our previous study (ten Hoopen, Vos, & Dispa, 1982).…”

“…If an isochronous sequence of auditory signals is presented interaurally (i.e., each consecutive signal arrives at the other ear), such a sequence has a slower apparent tempo than a monaural sequence Axelrod, Guzy, & Diamond, 1968). We devoted a series of studies to this phenomenon and were finally able to establish that the amount of the subjective tempo difference between interaural and monaural sequences corresponded with an objective amount of 24 msec (ten Hoopen & Vos, 1979, 1980, 1981ten Hoopen, Vos, & Dispa, 1982). Although the value of 24 msec can be arrived at by three different methods, we discuss only the most powerful one (see ten Hoopen, Vos, & Dispa, 1982, for the complete discussion of all three methods).…”

Classic Illusions of Auditory Time Perception

“…Figure 11 shows that the POA-differences between the interaural and monaural conditions as estimated the stop-RT task. Akerboom et al (1983) reported stop-RT experiments that together covered a much wider SOA-range than that of 125 to 250 ms in ten Hoopen et al (1982), namely from 40 ms to 2130 ms. The linear fits through the interaural and monaural stop RTs over the whole range yielded the equations: RTintϭ 2350ϩ1.12 SOA ms (r 2 ϭ.99) and RTmonϭ210ϩ 1.12 SOA ms (r 2 ϭ.99).…”

“…However, as ten Hoopen and Vos (1980) demonstrated, this proposal was derived from a faulty analysis of the results. Ten Hoopen et al (1982) performed a stopreaction time (stop-RT) experiment in which participants had to react to the unpredictable end of monaural and interaural click sequences. The rationale of the stop-RT task is described in ten Hoopen (1996).…”