Individual Differences in Sensitivity to Interaural Differences in Time and Level 1

Abstract

Previous research had indicated the existence of two groups—people more sensitive to interaural time differences than to interaural level (intensity) differences and people more sensitive to level differences than to time differences. A population of undergraduates was surveyed in an attempt to estimate the relative proportions of people in the two groups. Two characteristics possessed by previous Ss classified as time-sensitive or level-sensitive were used as the basis for classification of the present Ss. The psychophysical method was single-interval forced-choice, and Ss' task was to lateralize an auditory image. Usable data were obtained from 73 out of 76 Ss. Of those that met the criterion for classification into one of the two groups, about 25% were more sensitive to time differences than to level differences.