The objective of this research program is to better understand the pitch perception of narrowband complex sounds by human observers.
The specific aim of the research includes 1) to examine the validity of the predictions of two competing models (EWAIF and sewaif) on narrowband pitch, and 2) to conduct a systematic investigation on the pitch of narrowband sounds. The EWAIF model derives pitch from an envelope-weighted time average of instantaneous frequency of the waveform, whereas the SEWAIF model derives the pitch from a square-of-the-envelope weighted average of instantaneous frequency. The experimental paradigm requires the observer to match the pitch of a test stimulus with the pitch of a standard stimulus. The test stimuli are chosen such that the EWAIF and SEWAIF models predict different pitch values, an the standard stimuli are chosen such that the two models predict athe same pitch value. Pitch matching experiments using those stimuli can determine which model is a better predictor of the data. In addition to testing between the two models, the proposed study will examine the effects of stimulus level, center frequency, phases, spectral bandwidth, envelope fluctuation, and masking stimulus using various stimuli. A systematic study of the pitch of narrowband sounds will help hearing scientists to understand pitch perception in more quantitative detail. The basic information obtained from such studies will expand the current knowledge about the auditory system and may thus be useful for diagnosis and treatment of auditory impairment.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
Type
First Independent Research Support & Transition (FIRST) Awards (R29)
Project #
5R29DC001827-05
Application #
2391105
Study Section
Hearing Research Study Section (HAR)
Project Start
1993-09-01
Project End
1999-03-31
Budget Start
1997-04-01
Budget End
1998-03-31
Support Year
5
Fiscal Year
1997
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Father Flanagan's Boys' Home
Department
Type
DUNS #
City
Boys Town
State
NE
Country
United States
Zip Code
68010
Dai, Huanping; Richards, Virginia M (2011) On the theoretical error bound for estimating psychometric functions. Atten Percept Psychophys 73:919-26
Dai, Huanping; Micheyl, Christophe (2011) Psychometric functions for pure-tone frequency discrimination. J Acoust Soc Am 130:263-72
Dai, Huanping (2010) Harmonic pitch: dependence on resolved partials, spectral edges, and combination tones. Hear Res 270:143-50
Dai, H (2000) On the relative influence of individual harmonics on pitch judgment. J Acoust Soc Am 107:953-9
Dai, H; Wright, B A (1999) Predicting the detectability of tones with unexpected durations. J Acoust Soc Am 105:2043-6
Wright, B A; Dai, H (1998) Detection of sinusoidal amplitude modulation at unexpected rates. J Acoust Soc Am 104:2991-6
Dai, H; Nguyen, Q; Kidd Jr, G et al. (1996) Phase independence of pitch produced by narrow-band sounds. J Acoust Soc Am 100:2349-51
Dai, H; Nguyen, Q; Green, D M (1996) Decision rules of listeners in spectral-shape discrimination with or without signal-frequency uncertainty. J Acoust Soc Am 99:2298-306
Don, M; Vermiglio, A J; Ponton, C W et al. (1996) Variable effects of click polarity on auditory brain-stem response latencies: analyses of narrow-band ABRs suggest possible explanations. J Acoust Soc Am 100:458-72