Some auditory illusions reheard: dichotic listening to discrete frequencies

Listeners heard competing (dichotic) discrete‐frequency stimuli [D. Deutsch, Nature, 251, 307–309 (1974); J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 56, Suppl., S25 (1974); Op. Cit. 57, 1156–1160 (1974)]. Frequencies, energy levels, phase conditions, harmonic relations, temporal alignments, etc., were manipulated in a number of different listening and response configurations. Findings indicate that one pattern of response predominates: In general, when the signals to the two ears are of equal amplitude, the percept (1) sounds like one of the two signals presented (i.e., is unfused), (2) is lateralized to the side receiving the signal that has a loudness advantage, and (3) has a pitch more appropriate to the signal presented to one ear (independent of ear report), with the left‐ear signals showing a preference. This response pattern is sensitive to listener hearing characteristics and, in part at least, to listener handedness. The response phenomena are relatively insensitive to signal manipulations, except that that change loudness characteristic and/or involve channel delays.