Discrimination and Identification of Modulation-Frequency Using Noise, Tone, and Tonal-Complex Carriers

Abstract

A two-interval, two-alternative, forced-choice discrimination task (2I-2AFC) and an identification task were used to measure listeners' abilities to resolve modulation frequency, using three different types of carrier--noise, a 1-kHz tone, or a tonal complex. Identification performance was not simply related to 2I-2AFC discrimination performance. Identification of stimuli near the edges of the range was relatively good compared with listeners' abilities to discriminate these stimuli, a result which has been found for other stimuli (e. g., Berliner, Durlach, & Braida, 1977). In addition, certain midrange stimuli were identified relatively well, indicating the effects of central factors that enhance the encoding of these stimuli. Results for the 1-kHz and the tonal- complex carrier showed enhanced identification of modulation frequencies in the range 50-80 Hz. The results for the noise carrier, however, indicated enhanced resolution only for modulation frequencies less than 54 Hz. Possible explanations for these effects are discussed, and it is suggested that a more detailed examination of the role of the stimulus context would provide some answers.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 23, 1988
Accession Number
ADA197780

Entities

People

  • Thomas E. Hanna

Organizations

  • Naval Submarine Medical Research Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • Ground and Sea Platforms
  • Human Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Amplitude Modulation
  • Biological Sciences
  • Biomedical Research
  • Coding
  • Discrimination
  • Engineering
  • Frequency
  • Human Factors Engineering
  • Identification
  • Military Research
  • Modulation
  • Navy
  • New York
  • Notation
  • Psychology
  • Recognition
  • Systems Engineering

Fields of Study

  • Biology
  • Psychology

Readers

  • Brain and Cognitive Science; Experimental Psychology; Cognitive Neuroscience
  • Radar Systems Engineering.
  • Speech Processing/Speech Recognition.