INFORMATION IN AUDITORY PATTERNS

提出了一种新的方法来研究信息处理的 复杂的听觉模式。 在这个过程中， 每个听觉模式表示随机选择的 一些声学参数。 例如，在一个简单的情况下，模式可能 可以是具有随机选择的频率的音调序列。 听众的任务 是基于平均值来区分目标和非目标模式 采样参数值的差异。 根据定义， 与模式的随机变化相关的不确定性是 信息. 侦听器必须处理此信息，以便 进行样本鉴别。 样品鉴别实验 提出了各种听觉模式的日益复杂。 可调性能是相对于理论上理想的性能来表示的 观察员允许跨实验进行比较。 还有，一次又一次的审判 提出分析，以提供测试的具体假设， 收听者利用这些模式中的信息。 的结果予以 分析将允许回答有关如何检测和 复杂听觉模式的辨别受信息的影响 处理能力、信息权重和干扰， 和刺激维度之间的关系 作为该项目的长期目标， 实验结果将用于开发计算模型， 确定如何最好地将所述声学信息封装在图案中， 最大化信息传输。

A new methodology is proposed to investigate information processing of complex, auditory patterns by normal-hearing listeners. In this procedure, each auditory pattern represents a randomly selected sample of values of some acoustic parameter. In a simple case, for example, the patterns might be tone sequences with randomly selected frequencies. The listeners task is to discriminate target from nontarget patterns based on a average difference in the values of the sampled parameter. By definition, the uncertainty associated with the random variation in patterns is a source of information. The listener must process this information in order to perform the sample-discrimination. Sample-discrimination experiments are proposed for a variety of auditory patterns of increasing complexity. Listener performance is expressed relative to that of a theoretical ideal observer to permit comparisons across experiments. Also, trial-by-trial analyses are proposed to provide tests of specific hypotheses regarding how listeners utilize the information in these patterns. The results of these analyses will allow answers to questions regarding how the detection and discrimination of complex auditory patterns is affected by information processing capacity, information weighting, and interference both within and across stimulus dimensions. As a long term goal of the project, experimental results will be used to develop a computational model for determining how best to package the acoustic information in patterns so as to maximize information transmission.