Mechanisms for Temporal Numerosity in Audition

Abstract

<p> This research investigates human perception of brief auditory events presented sequentially. Following an analysis of current, relevant theories, two experiments arc described. The results of the first experiment show that two trains consisting of n and n+l pulses become more difficult to discriminate from each other as (i) the time between the pulses decreases (ii) the number of pulses in the trains increase and (iii) the size of the set of stimulus trains increases. The results of Experiment 2 indicate that discrimination between a pair of "empty" intervals differing only by a constant duration depends on the time between the pulses marking the beginning and end of the intervals and not on the duration of the markers. Discrimination decreases as the durations of the pair of intervals increases. This research investigates human perception of brief auditory events presented sequentially. Following an analysis of current, relevant theories, two experiments arc described. The results of the first experiment show that two trains consisting of n and n+l pulses become more difficult to discriminate from each other as (i) the time between the pulses decreases (ii) the number of pulses in the trains increase and (iii) the size of the set of stimulus trains increases. </p>