Chapter 7: Hearing Flashcards

1
Q

amplitude

A

volume/intensity of a sound

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2
Q

frequency

A

number of wave cycles per second

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3
Q

how can amplitude be objectively measured?

A

in decibles

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4
Q

what is the perceptual dimension of amplitude?

A

loudness

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5
Q

how can frequency be objectively measured?

A

in hertz

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6
Q

what is the perceptual dimension of frequency?

A

pitch

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7
Q

what is the perceptual dimension of complexity?

A

timbre

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8
Q

what is timbre?

A

the perception/identity of the sound (ex. different voices, instruments, etc.)

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9
Q

what is a pure tone?

A

a single sine wave, which is not typically experienced in life as it has to be manufactured

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10
Q

what are complex tones?

A

many sine waves which we experience on a daily basis

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11
Q

what did Joseph Fourier do?

A

measured the individual components of complex tones to try to decipher them.
created the Fourier Analysis

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12
Q

what did Fourier discover?

A

sound waves follow natural laws; they are predictable.

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13
Q

what can you see using the Fourier analysis?

A

you can see the individual sine waves that make up the complex wave form.
The Fourier analysis can accurately determine the other waves because they are whole multiples of the fundamental frequency (first harmonic)

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14
Q

what allows for distinction of different sounds (specifically different instruments)?

A

the intensity of the harmonics (timbre)

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15
Q

Ossicles

A

smallest bones in the body
work as a set of gears to transmit sounds

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16
Q

tympanic membrane (eardrum)

A

vibrates in response to a sound wave

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17
Q

semicircular canals

A

involved in the vestibular system (balance)

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18
Q

cochlea (inner ear)

A

where the receptors are located and where sound waves are transformed into neural signals

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19
Q

eustachian tube

A

where the ears get plugged

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20
Q

what are the three ossicles called?

A

malleus, incus, stapes

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21
Q

what is the function of the malleus?

A

vibrates in response to the vibrations it receives from the tympanic membrane

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22
Q

what is the function of the stapes?

A

pounds against the cochlea

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23
Q

why is it important that the ossicles are made of bone?

A

the cochlea is filled with fluid, so force is needed in order to transmit a sound wave from air into a fluid

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24
Q

what is contained within the cochlea?

A

the basilar membrane

25
Q

how is the basilar membrane tuned to different frequencies?

A

a narrow, thick base is tuned for high frequencies
a wide, thin apex is tuned for low frequencies

26
Q

layers of inner hair cells vs outer hair cells

A

there are 3 layers of outer hair cells and only 1 layer of inner hair cells, and inner hair cells send the main signals to the brain, allowing you to hear

27
Q

how do cilia function?

A

cilia move in response to movement of the basilar membrane and rub against the tectorial membrane to create an action potential in the hair cell

28
Q

what is housed in the organ of corti?

A

the receptors for sound

29
Q

how many outer hair cells are in the ear of a healthy person? how many inner hair cells?

A

12 thousand outer hair cells
3500 inner hair cells

30
Q

what is the purpose of outer hair cells?

A

increases sensitivity to sound and helps amplify sound

31
Q

what happens if the inner hair cells fail to function properly?

A

deafness

32
Q

type I nerve fibres

A

thick, well myelinated fibres that receive signals from inner hair cells

33
Q

type II nerve fibres

A

thin, not well myelinated fibres that receive signals from outer hair cells

34
Q

what is the place code?

A

the actual place on the basilar membrane that responds to certain frequencies

35
Q

temporal code (phase locking)

A

fires in synchronicity with sound

36
Q

at what frequency does it become difficult to discriminate between sounds?

A

4000+ Hz

37
Q

what do pitch neurons do?

A

respond to the structure of the sound and clean up the signal so that it can be perceived easily

38
Q

conductive hearing problems

A

a result of problems conducting sound waves in the ear, usually from having water in the ear, a change in pressure, etc. Can be fixed

39
Q

sensorineural hearing problems

A

results from neural signals not getting to the brain

40
Q

what is the purpose of a cochlear implant?

A

re-establishes hearing, but not in a normal sense. allows for speech

41
Q

how does a cochlear implant work?

A

micro-electrodes are implanted along the basilar membrane, allowing for generation of electrical signals that are sent down auditory nerve fibres

42
Q

what type of sound is at the level of your ears?

A

azimuth

43
Q

where is the location of sound sources processed?

A

in the brainstem

44
Q

interaural time difference (ITD)

A

sound comes in one ear earlier than it does in the other ear (by micro-seconds), allowing the brain to locate where sound is coming from. most extreme when coming directly from one side of the head

45
Q

interaural level difference (ILD)

A

head is blocking the sound so that the sound is less loud in the other ear. becomes less distinct the more directly in front the sound is. not applicable below 500Hz

46
Q

what do spectral shape cues allow for?

A

allow you to detect whether a sound is coming from above or below

47
Q

what do the folds and grooves of the pinna do?

A

affect how sound moves around in the auditory canal. makes a different sound signature when coming from above vs below

48
Q

what is processed in the medial superior olives?

A

interaural time difference

49
Q

what is processed in the lateral superior olives?

A

interaural level difference

50
Q

what is the function of the inferior colliculus?

A

integrates information from the two olives

51
Q

what does a lesion in the inferior colliculus result in?

A

an inability to locate where sound is coming from

52
Q

where is Broca’s area located?

A

on the border of the temporal and frontal lobes

53
Q

what is Broca’s area involved in?

A

speech production

54
Q

what happens if there is damage to Broca’s area?

A

difficulty producing speech; very halting speech

55
Q

where is Wernicke’s area located?

A

posterior temporal lobe

56
Q

what is Wernicke’s area involved in?

A

language comprehension

57
Q

what happens if there is damage to Wernicke’s area?

A

word salad: words spoken don’t make sense

58
Q

what is the right hemisphere of the brain involved in when it comes to language?

A

prosody and processing rhythm, music, etc

59
Q

what happens to language if there is damage to the right hemisphere?

A

can still comprehend and produce language, but may speak in a monotone