Central Masking: Fact or Artifact?

Alison L. McQueen; James G. Terhune

Alison L. McQueen State University of New York College at Potsdam
James G. Terhune State University of New York College at Potsdam

Abstract

Fourteen people with normal hearing participated in a study that used signal detection theory to examine central auditory masking. Participants were tested in a sound-attenuating chamber. Absolute thresholds for stimuli (1000 Hz pure-tone, white noise masker at 40 dB SL) were established: first for the tone, then for the tone in combination with the masker in the contralateral ear. A mean threshold increase (3.8 dB) demonstrated central masking. Contrary to prediction, a paired-samples t-test revealed significant shifts in participant sensitivity (d´) [t (10) = 4.46, p < .001], suggesting that participants’ sensitivity to the tone decreased in the masking condition. These findings provide support for the theory that central masking is an auditory processing phenomenon.

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