An Introduction to the Psychology of Hearing

by Brian C.J. Moore

Now available in a Fifth Edition, An Introduction to the Psychology of Hearing is the leading textbook in the field of auditory perceptionalso known as psychoacoustics. The Fifth Edition has been thoroughly updated, with more than 200 references to articles and books published since 1996. The book describes the relationships between the characteristics of the sounds that enter the ear and the sensations that they produce. Wherever possible these relationships are specified in terms of the underlying mechanisms. In other words, the goal is to impart an understanding of what the auditory system does and how it works. Topics covered include the physics of sound, the physiology of the auditory system, frequency selectivity and masking, loudness perception, temporal analysis, pitch perception, sound localization, timbre perception, the perceptual organization of complex auditory "scenes", speech perception, and practical applications such as hearing aids, cochlear implants, and high-fidelity sound reproduction. The book starts from basic principles, and does not assume prior knowledge about hearing. Research results are not just described, but are interpreted and evaluated. The book includes extensive references to recent research so that those interested in a specific area can readily obtain more detailed information.

Designed for advanced undergraduate and graduate level courses in psychology, speech and hearing sciences, and audiology

Will appeal to researchers and professionals involved in sound and hearing, such as audio engineers, otologists, hearing-aid designers, audiologists, and hearing aid dispensers

Emphasis on the mechanisms underlying auditory perception with key concepts clearly explained

Genres: Science, Psychology, Textbooks, Research

413 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 1977

Reviews

[Mel · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel bad giving this 2 stars when the author clearly knows his stuff. Lots of descriptions of experiments untangling how the processes of hearing work. There's definitely some interesting stuff in here but I was hoping for something a little more to do with the higher level processes of listening and hearing.

Example:
"Most methods for estimating the shape of the auditory filter at a given center frequency are based on the assumptions of the power spectrum model of masking. The detection threshold of a signal whose frequency is fixed is measured in the presence of a masker whose spectral content is varied. It is assumed, as a first approximation, that the signal is detected using the single auditory filter that is centered on the frequency of the signal and that threshold corresponds to a constant ratio of signal power to masker power at the output of that filter."