Abstract:

To date, there have been only a few studies of the auditory motion aftereffect (aMAE). All of these studies used simulated moving sound as adapting or test stimuli. In the present study, real moving sound was used as both the adapting and test stimuli. The real moving sound was generated with a loudspeaker mounted on a robot arm which was able to move smoothly and quietly in three-dimensional space. Six subjects were tested in an anechoic chamber with white noise as both the adapting and test stimuli. Results from experiment 1 showed a clear aMAE in all subjects involved. The magnitude of the aMAE tended to increase up to the highest velocity tested (<30(degrees)/s). In experiment 2, the adapting and test stimuli were presented across two separate spatial ranges, and the magnitude of the aMAE was measured as a function of the distance between the two separate loci. Results show that when the adapting and test ranges are 20(degrees) apart, the aMAE is weak. However, when the two ranges abut, there is a noticeable aMAE, although its magnitude is smaller compared to that when adapting and test ranges overlap. The detailed space constant is under investigation.