Implicit human echolocation

["Bruno L. Giordano" <bruno.giordano@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hello,

I have a general knowledge of the literature on human echolocation: 
sighted-blindfolded listeners are capable of locating nearby surfaces 
from the reflections of self-generated sounds, when they are instructed 
to do so.

However, does echolocation persist in absence of explicit instructions?

An improbable single-trial experiment could address this question: 
blindfolded participants are asked to walk along a path, as long as they 
wish. They wouldn't be informed that a wall is obstructing the path. 
Unfortunately, the number of injuries would measure implicit 
echolocation abilities.

Is anybody aware of related, more ethical studies?

Thank you,

	Bruno

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bruno L. Giordano, Ph.D.
Music Perception and Cognition Laboratory
CIRMMT http://www.cirmmt.mcgill.ca/
Schulich School of Music, McGill University
555 Sherbrooke Street West
Montréal, QC H3A 1E3
Canada
Office: +1 514 398 4535 ext. 00900
http://www.music.mcgill.ca/~bruno/