| Popis: |
This study tested whether target and masker must create different spatial percepts, in this case intracranial percepts created under headphones, to achieve spatial release from informational masking. Signals were sequences of 40-ms broadband noise bursts with four target bursts interspersed within a longer train of masker bursts. From a baseline sequence in which target bursts were 400 ms apart, either the second or third burst was advanced by 80 ms to create two different temporal patterns that subjects discriminated. Target bursts were intermixed among masker bursts such that pattern identification was at chance when all bursts were diotic, but near perfect when target and masker bursts were delivered with moderate interaural differences of opposite sign. Performance in these unprocessed conditions was compared to that obtained when stimuli were processed by an algorithm that swapped interaural differences in alternating frequency bands [S. Sheffield et al., J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 145, 1129–1142 (2019)], thereby degrading lateralization but preserving the magnitudes of interaural differences. Early results show substantially reduced masking release in degraded lateralization conditions, despite their preservation of interaural differences, suggesting a prominent role for perceived target-masker separation in spatial release from informational masking. [Work supported by NIDCD R01 01625.] |
