Adaptation: Central or Peripheral?

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Abstract
Adaptation was measured using successive and simultaneous presentation of heterophonic stimuli in order to determine if adaptation is more a central than a peripheral phenomena. The first of the two studies reported compared the method of delayed balance, method of simultaneous dichotic balances (SDB) involving tracking for 15-sec periods, and a modification of the SDB utilizing 1-sec tones. Only the homophonic SDB involving tracking produced noticeable adaptation. In the second experiment several procedural variations of the heterophonic tracking SDB method were studied. None of the variations produced the intensity decrement customarily associated with adaptation. It was concluded that, when binaural interactions (loudness and/or lateralization) are reduced or eliminated by test procedures, the adapted ear shows little if any shift. Thus, the decrements observed with the typical SDB procedure probably reflect slowly developing changes in binaural interactions—and, consequently, are central rather than peripheral changes. Judgments obtained with simultaneous stimulation, therefore, are not procedures that should be utilized for the study of peripheral adaptation effects.

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