Binaural frequency selectivity in humans

Abstract

Several behavioural studies in humans have shown that listening to sounds with two ears, i.e., binaural hearing, provides the human auditory system with extra information on the sound source that is not available when sounds are only perceived through one ear, i.e., monaurally. Binaural processing involves the analysis of phase and level differences between the two ear signals. Since monaural cochlea processing (in each ear) precedes the neural stages responsible for binaural processing properties it is reasonable to assume that properties of the cochlea may also be observed in binaural processing. A main characteristic of cochlea processing is its frequency selectivity. In psychoacoustics there is an ongoing discussion on the frequency selectivity of the binaural auditory system. While some psychoacoustic experiments seem to indicate poorer frequency selectivity of the binaural system than that of the monaural processing others seem to indicate the same frequency selectivity for monaural and binaural processing. The present study provides an overview of these seemingly controversial results and the different explanations that were provided to account for the different results.

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