Lateralization Threshold as a Function of Stimulus Duration

Abstract

Measurement on experienced listeners of interaural time difference(ITD) thresholds for wide‐band random noise indicates that the threshold varies systematically with duration of stimulation. In order to determine the point at which increase duration no longer decreases ITD threshold, stimulus (noise burst) duration was varied between 0.01 and 1.94 sec. A given ITD was maintained throughout any particular burst, starting time included. All stimuli were presented at a level of 65 db SPL to each phone. The “duration” versus “ITD threshold” function reaches asymptote at approximately 0.7 sec, indicating that the binaural system which effects the comparison necessary for a lateralization judgment may integrate information over that period for the kind of stimulus used.