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Physics and physiology of hearing
175
Book review: Stevens’ Handbook of Experimental Psychology
I recommend the chapter this field of research.
for anybody
who wants
a stimulating
account
of
F. Boselie, NICI
Volume 1, chapter 5, pp. 211-326. Physics and Physiology of Hearing William T. Peake.
- by Nelson
Yuan
Sheng
Kiang
and
The authors give a clear overview of the processes in hearing by presenting a description of 4 sub-areas: -acoustics and signal theory, -anatomy of the hearing organs, -physiological mechanisms within the auditive system, -perceptive characteristics of the hearing. Basic concepts from Sonology, signal theory and electricity theory are discussed. This requires a thorough knowledge of physical laws and of the mathematics of differential equations and complex numbers. Without an introduction in signal analysis (in time and frequency domain) and understanding of discrete systems parts of the text are not easily understood. The same is true with respect to the anatomy of the ear, and with respect to the neuroanatomical system. The functioning of the cochlea is explained well, but here again the reader is supposed to know what is meant with ‘transmission’, ‘transduction’, and with ‘models of internal representation’. There are many references to empirical studies. In the last part Perception is dealt with, and this part has the strongest connection to psychology. General behavioral responses on Sound Stimuli are in this part related to specific characteristics of the auditory system, like frequency-specific detection thresholds, localization, discrimination and categorical perception. Conclusion: The authors present a large amount of information in a compressed form, which does not always favour the readability. The chapter is very suited for experts in the field, or as a book of reference for the audiologists, it is less suited as an introduction. N. Arends,
Volume I, chapter 6, pp. 321-316. Audition: Psychophysics and Perception
- by David
NICI
M. Green.
The chapter opens with a concise discussion of basic methods in auditory psychophysics and a historical survey of key-discoveries in the field. While the
Book review: Stevens’ Handbook of Experimental Psychology
I recommend the chapter this field of research.
for anybody
who wants
a stimulating
account
of
F. Boselie, NICI
Volume 1, chapter 5, pp. 211-326. Physics and Physiology of Hearing William T. Peake.
- by Nelson
Yuan
Sheng
Kiang
and
The authors give a clear overview of the processes in hearing by presenting a description of 4 sub-areas: -acoustics and signal theory, -anatomy of the hearing organs, -physiological mechanisms within the auditive system, -perceptive characteristics of the hearing. Basic concepts from Sonology, signal theory and electricity theory are discussed. This requires a thorough knowledge of physical laws and of the mathematics of differential equations and complex numbers. Without an introduction in signal analysis (in time and frequency domain) and understanding of discrete systems parts of the text are not easily understood. The same is true with respect to the anatomy of the ear, and with respect to the neuroanatomical system. The functioning of the cochlea is explained well, but here again the reader is supposed to know what is meant with ‘transmission’, ‘transduction’, and with ‘models of internal representation’. There are many references to empirical studies. In the last part Perception is dealt with, and this part has the strongest connection to psychology. General behavioral responses on Sound Stimuli are in this part related to specific characteristics of the auditory system, like frequency-specific detection thresholds, localization, discrimination and categorical perception. Conclusion: The authors present a large amount of information in a compressed form, which does not always favour the readability. The chapter is very suited for experts in the field, or as a book of reference for the audiologists, it is less suited as an introduction. N. Arends,
Volume I, chapter 6, pp. 321-316. Audition: Psychophysics and Perception
- by David
NICI
M. Green.
The chapter opens with a concise discussion of basic methods in auditory psychophysics and a historical survey of key-discoveries in the field. While the