Probe-signal investigation of uncertain-frequency detection

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Abstract
Observers in a 2IFC detection task were instructed to listen for ’’primary’’ tones with one of two frequencies, in the presence of a broad‐band background noise. On a small proportion of trials, probe tones of other frequencies were presented instead, following the procedure of Greenberg and Larkin [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 44, 1513–1523 (1968)]. The function relating percent correct to signal frequency may be interpreted as an average internal filter characteristic. All six observers responded correctly on 70%–90% of trials on which primary signals were presented; performance on probe trials was poorer, falling to chance for probe frequencies sufficiently above the higher primary, sufficiently below the lower primary, and for some probes between the two primaries. The widths of the listening bands around the primaries were found to be similar to the widths estimated from one‐primary control conditions. Examination of the sequential data suggests that, while the pattern of sensitivity changes from trial to trial, a model postulating a single filter shifting from one primary to the other is not adequate. Other models of uncertain‐frequency detection are discussed. Subject Classification: 65.35, 65.75, 65.58.

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