Midterm 2 Short Answer Questions - Chapter 11

Question 1

How is loudness related to the amplitude of an auditory stimulus? Describe the perceptual aspects of loudness.

Answer 1

Loudness relates to the amplitude of an auditory stimulus, influencing our perception of sound intensity. Perceptual loudness involves subjective judgments about sound levels.

Question 2

Explain the concept of the audibility curve and how it represents human sensitivity to different frequencies.

Answer 2

The audibility curve shows human sensitivity to different frequencies, indicating our hearing range and thresholds across frequencies.

Question 3

What are equal loudness curves, and how are they determined? What do they reveal about our perception of sound?

Answer 3

Equal loudness curves are determined by matching perceived loudness at different dB levels, revealing that sounds at 80 dB may be perceived equally loud despite varying frequencies.

Question 4

Define pitch and timbre in the context of auditory perception. How do they differ, and what factors influence them?

Answer 4

Pitch refers to the highness or lowness of a sound, while timbre encompasses sound qualities beyond loudness, pitch, and duration, influenced by harmonics, attack, and decay.

Question 5

What happens to sound perception when there is a missing fundamental frequency? Describe the effect and its perceptual implications.

Answer 5

Missing fundamental frequency leads to perceived pitch without the fundamental frequency, affecting sound timbre but not pitch perception, known as periodicity pitch.

Question 6

Describe the role of the outer ear in sound perception, including key structures and their functions.

Answer 6

The outer ear includes the pinna and auditory canal, aiding in sound localization and protection of the tympanic membrane.

Question 7

Discuss the functioning of the middle ear, particularly the ossicles, and their importance in auditory processing.

Answer 7

The middle ear, with ossicles like the malleus, incus, and st

Question 8

What are the key structures involved in transducing sound waves into electrical signals in the inner ear?

Question 9

Explain Békésy’s Place Theory of Hearing and how it relates to the perception of sound frequencies along the basilar membrane.

Question 10

How does phase locking contribute to pitch perception? Discuss the mechanisms of temporal coding in pitch perception.