Dichotic listening to musical sequences: Relationship to hemispheric specialization of function Free

It is generally assumed that patterns of ear advantage in dichotic listening reflect greater involvement of the hemisphere contralateral to the preferred ear. This assumption is critically reviewed with respect to musical materials. A set of experiments is described which demonstrate the presence of a left‐right anisotropy in the perception of frequency combinations. When two frequencies are simultaneously presented in a sequential setting, perception of these frequencies is superior when the higher is to the right and the lower to the left than when the higher is to the left and the lower to the right. Localization is also more accurate when the higher frequency is to the right and the lower to the left. These phenomena are shown to give rise to apparent patterns of ear advantage, whose direction may vary depending on such factors as overall error rate and listening strategy. Such apparent ear advantages should not be taken as reflecting greater involvement of the contralateral hemisphere. Implications for patterns of ear advantage reported for speech materials are also discussed. [Work supported by NIMH.]