ABSTRACT
The main function of sensory systems is to get information about the outside world to the brain, where it can be used to build representations of the environment and to help plan future behavior. In hearing, that information is carried by pressure variations in the air (sound waves). In this chapter, we explore how the information in the sound waves is converted (or transduced) into a form that can be used by the brain, specifically in the form of electrical activity in nerve cells or neurons. Later in the book, we look at how our perceptions relate to the physiological mechanisms. First, however, we must learn something about the biological hardware involved: where it is, what it looks like, and what it does. Because the left and right ears are roughly mirror images of one another, I will focus on the anatomy of the right ear. It should be remembered that everything is duplicated on the opposite side of the head to produce a pleasing symmetry. Please also note that when specific numbers and dimensions are given, they refer to the human auditory system unless otherwise stated.
