ABSTRACT
The major cues utilized by the binaural system to localize sounds in space and to detect the presence of sounds in noisy environments are interaural temporal disparities (ITDs) and interaural intensitive disparities (IIDs). Most of what is known about the binaural system’s sensitivity to these cues under a variety of conditions has been gleaned from investigations that utilized earphones. The chief advantage of this method is that it allows for rather precise control over the stimuli and, most importantly the interaural disparities that arrive at the two ears. This chapter focuses on two major topics of research that characterize modem, binaural, earphone-based stud ies: (1) temporal effects in detection and discrimination of ITDs and IIDs (binaural “sluggishness”) and (2) sensitivity to ITDs within the envelopes of high-frequency, complex waveforms. Previous experimental findings in these two areas are discussed, integrated, and related to recent work conducted in our laboratory.
