Evaluation of similarity effects in informational masking.

ABSTRACT: The degree of similarity between signal and masker in informational masking paradigms has been hypothesized to contribute to informational masking. The present study attempted to quantify "similarity" using a discrimination task. Listeners discriminated various signal stimuli from a multitone complex and then detected the presence of those signals embedded in a multitone informational masker. Discriminability negatively correlated with detection threshold in an informational masking experiment, indicating that similarity between signal and the masker quality contributed to informational masking. These results suggest a method for specifying relevant signal attributes in informational masking paradigms involving similarity manipulations.

SUBMITTER: Lee TY 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3117891 | biostudies-other | 2011 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other