Frequency selectivity measured by a forward masking paradigm

Comparisons between psychophysical tuning curves and masking patterns obtained via forward masking will be presented. Tuning curves were measured for probe frequencies from 250 to 3000 Hz at 10 dB S.L. and 20 dB S.L. In general it was observed that sharpness of tuning as reflected by Q10 dB increased with increasing probe frequency. Masking patterns from the same subjects were obtained at corresponding masker frequencies and at sensation levels from 10–90 dB. Again, increasing selectivity was evident for higher frequency maskers. In all experiments the nonlinearity of the underlying forward masking function, for both similar and dissimilar probe-masker frequency sets, was apparent. Discussion will center on the implications of these findings for the use of forward masking to estimate the spectral resolution of the auditory system, as well as for the mechanism(s) of very short term auditory fatigue. [This work supported by a grant from NIH.]