perception 4 Flashcards

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1
Q

what is the perceptual definition of sound?

A

sound is the experience we have when we hear

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2
Q

what is the physical definition of sound?

A

sound is pressure changes in the air or other medium caused by the vibration of an object

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3
Q

what is a pure tone?

A

when changes in air pressure form a perfect sinuoidal wave

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4
Q

what is amplitude?

A

size of the variation in air pressure

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5
Q

what is amplitude related to perception of?

A

loudness

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6
Q

what is frequency?

A

the number of cycles per second

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7
Q

what is frequency related to perception of?

A

pitch

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8
Q

what are complex sounds?

A

combinations of different sine waves

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9
Q

what do natural sounds consist of?

A

fundamental frequency with harmonics

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10
Q

what are the three sub divisions of the ear?

A

outer, middle and inner

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11
Q

what does the outer ear consist of?

A

pinnae
auditory canal
tympanic membrane (eardrum)

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12
Q

what is the pinnae?

A

visible external parts of the ear

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13
Q

what is the auditory canal?

A

tube-like structure which protects the middle ear

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14
Q

what is the tympanic membrane?

A

cone shaped membrane which separates the outer and middle ear

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15
Q

how do sound waves affect the tympanic membrane?

A

cause a pressure difference= vibration

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16
Q

what do larger amplitude sounds result in?

A

larger vibrations

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17
Q

what do higher frequency sounds result in?

A

faster vibrations

18
Q

what does the middle ear consist of?

A

small cavity containing the ossicles (smallest bones in human body)

19
Q

what are the ossicles?

A

malleus (hammer)
incus (anvil)
stapes (stirrup)

20
Q

what do the ossicles do?

A

amplify the vibrations of the tympanic membrane

transmit them to the inner ear at the oval window

21
Q

what is the main structure in the inner ear?

A

cochlea

22
Q

what does the cochlea do?

A

vibration displaces its fluid
=change in pressure which spreads across the spiral structure

23
Q

what are the three canals the cochlea consists of?

A

vestibular
middle
tympanic

24
Q

which membrane triggers auditory transduction?

A

basilar membrane

25
Q

what is auditory transduction?

A

transformation of sound waves to electrical energy, by the Organ of Corti

26
Q

how is a voltage generated in auditory transduction

A

sensitive specialised hair cells in the Organ of Corti are bent
= impulses in auditory nerve cells are sent to the brain

27
Q

what scale is amplitude measured on?

A

logarithmic scale in decibels

28
Q

what is rate code? (loudness)

A

sound amplitude is coded in the firing rate of auditory nerve fibres

29
Q

how do we discriminate loudness?

A

increase in sound intensity= increase in auditory nerve rate intensity

some fibres- high spontaneous rates, saturate rapidly
some fibres- low spontaneous rates, saturate slowly

30
Q

what does loudness depend on?

A

amplitude
frequency

31
Q

what range of pitches can humans hear between?

A

20Hz and 20,000Hz

32
Q

what is place code? (pitch)

A

sound frequencies cause vibration in specific areas along the basilar membrane

33
Q

where do low frequencies cause vibrations?

A

near the apex

34
Q

where do high frequencies cause vibrations?

A

near the base

35
Q

what is timing code? (pitch)

A

frequnecy depends on which auditory nerve fibres respond and when they respond

36
Q

what is phase locking?

A

auditory nerve responses are synchronised according to changes in pressure, up to 4000Hz

37
Q

what is pitch determined by?

A

frequency of a sound

38
Q

what is timbre determined by?

A

number, frequency and amplitudes of harmonics

39
Q

what is the missing fundamental illusion?

A

we continue to perceive a pitch as consistent with a missing fundamental frequency

40
Q

what does the missing fundamental illusion suggest?

A

brain also infers missing fundamentals- not just determined in cochlea (top down process)