Negative masking and the units problem in audition

Shepherd, Daniel; Hautus, Michael J.

doi:10.1016/j.heares.2008.10.008

Cited by 7 publications

(30 citation statements)

References 53 publications

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“…The grand means, averaged across all 10 blocks, for the 2AFC and the SIAM tasks are consistent with reports in the literature (e.g., Florentine, Fastl, & Buus, 1988), with Shepherd and Hautus (2009) reporting thresholds for 1000-Hz 10-ms tones ranging from 14.5 to 23.6 dB SPL. Inspection of Fig.…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 88%

The single interval adjustment matrix (SIAM) yes–no task: an empirical assessment using auditory and gustatory stimuli

Shepherd

Hautus

Stocks

et al. 2011

Atten Percept Psychophys

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The SIAM yes-no task is an efficient bias-free adaptive procedure for estimating absolute thresholds, though it arguably requires further evaluation prior to its adoption into mainstream psychological research. We report two experiments undertaken in the auditory and gustatory modalities designed to assess the accuracy and efficiency of the SIAM method. In the first experiment, estimates of absolute thresholds for 1000-Hz tones obtained using a two-alternative forced choice adaptive procedure were compared to those obtained using both the SIAM yes-no task and a modification of the SIAM task incorporating the method of free response, the SIAM-rapid. In Experiment 2, we compared absolute thresholds for sucrose in solution obtained with either a two-alternative forced choice adaptive procedure or the SIAM yes-no task. Both experiments demonstrated the efficiency and validity of the SIAM approach, with SIAM thresholds proving to be equivalent to those obtained in the two-alternative forced choice tasks and to those reported in the literature.

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Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 88%

The single interval adjustment matrix (SIAM) yes–no task: an empirical assessment using auditory and gustatory stimuli

Shepherd

Hautus

Stocks

et al. 2011

Atten Percept Psychophys

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“…In respect to stimulus duration, our 10-ms tones elicited data remarkably similar to the 100-ms tones employed by Pfafflin and Mathews (1962). This parallels findings that suggest that tone duration does not appear to impact the degree of negative masking (Shepherd and Hautus, 2009). Of further interest is a comparison of fixed-signal functions generated using data obtained from a conventional 2AFC task (Figs.…”

Section: A Comparison With Other Datasupporting

confidence: 76%

“…Thus, for fixed-signal functions generated using psychometric functions, there are similarities to negative masking, whereby unit selection affects the interpretation of circathreshold data. The difference between quiet and noise-background conditions has been noted in previous studies investigating negative masking (Hanna et al, 1986;Shepherd and Hautus, 2009), but not the pedestal effect. The pedestal effect is evident using stimuli presented in either noise (Figs.…”

Section: A Comparison With Other Datasupporting

confidence: 50%

“…The plot relating the difference threshold, DX DL , to X is the masking function. For levels of X close to absolute threshold, an inverse relationship between DX DL and X has been reported in the literature (e.g., Hanna et al, 1986;Shepherd and Hautus, 2009), a result described as negative masking (Raab et al, 1963). Notably, the degree of negative masking is greater when stimuli are expressed in units of amplitude (A) than in units of intensity (I).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 94%

“…Notably, the degree of negative masking is greater when stimuli are expressed in units of amplitude (A) than in units of intensity (I). The consequences of the choice of measurement unit on the form of the masking function, and discussions of possible mechanisms underlying negative masking, have been presented elsewhere (Hanna et al, 1986;Laming, 1986;McGill and Teich, 1989;Shepherd and Hautus, 2009;Solomon, 2009).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Masking functions and fixed-signal functions for low-level 1000-Hz tones

Shepherd

Hautus

Jesteadt

2013

The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America

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Masking functions and fixed-signal functions were constructed using a narrow range of pedestal intensities for 10-ms, 1000-Hz gated tones. Data from three experiments agreed with previously reported data, clearly demonstrating negative masking and the pedestal effect. The data extend earlier findings by showing (1) the resilience of the pedestal effect when a background noise masker is introduced; (2) a possible indifference of the fixed-signal function to stimulus duration; (3) the ability of a set of psychometric functions to produce both masking and fixed-signal functions; (4) depending on method, the impact of unit choice on the interpretation of both the pedestal effect and negative masking data. Results are discussed in relation to current psychophysical models, and suggest that accounting for the auditory system's sensitivity to differences in low-level sounds remains a challenge.

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New approaches to the Single-Interval Adjustment Matrix (SIAM) Yes-No task

Shepherd,

Hautus

2024

Preprint

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Two adaptations of the Single-Interval Adjust-Matrix Yes-No (SIAM-YN) task, designed to increase the efficiency of absolute threshold estimation, are described. The first, the SIAM Twin Track (SIAM-TT) task, consists of two interleaved tracks of the standard SIAM-YN that are run in the same trial with a single response. The second new task modifies the binary SIAM-YN task by using a six-point rating-scale (SIAM-Rating). In Experiment 1, data from three tasks estimating absolute thresholds were obtained using a 10-ms tone, the 2-IFC transformed up-down procedure, SIAM-YN task, and the SIAM-TT task. The data support the use of the SIAM-TT as an alternative to the conventional two-interval and one-interval (SIAM-YN) tasks when used to estimate absolute thresholds. By presenting two interleaved SIAM-YN tracks on a single experimental trial, the SIAM-TT task possesses greater efficiency alongside its signal-detection heritage which confers less response bias. Similarly, in Experiment 2, which compared the 2-IFC adaptive, SIAM-YN, and SIAM-Rating tasks, there was no main effect of task upon threshold estimates. The findings replicate previous studies supporting the validity and efficiency of the SIAM-YN task, and extends the SIAM-YN toolbox to efficiently facilitate the generation of psychometric functions (the SIAM-TT task) and Receiver Operating Characteristic Curves (the SIAM-Rating task).

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Negative masking and the units problem in audition

Cited by 7 publications

References 53 publications

The single interval adjustment matrix (SIAM) yes–no task: an empirical assessment using auditory and gustatory stimuli

The single interval adjustment matrix (SIAM) yes–no task: an empirical assessment using auditory and gustatory stimuli

Masking functions and fixed-signal functions for low-level 1000-Hz tones

New approaches to the Single-Interval Adjustment Matrix (SIAM) Yes-No task

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