Subject: Re: [AUDITORY] Scream spectrum From: Matthew Winn <mwinn2@xxxxxxxx> Date: Tue, 7 Feb 2017 21:39:55 -0800 List-Archive:<http://lists.mcgill.ca/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=AUDITORY>--f403045e6b2e5fa6cb0547fe4ba4 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable It=E2=80=99s tempting to draw a connection between the ~3 kHz resonance of = the voice and the ~3 kHz resonance of the ear canal. There are two reasons why I am reluctant to think too much of this coincidence: First, if we take the evolutionary point of view, I would guess that we should be more interested in the screams of *babies* than adults. And given the smaller size of babies=E2=80=99 vocal tracts, I would no longer expect = their peak resonance to align with that of our ear canal. Second, while the ear canal peak is prominent (enough that we audiologists need to compensate for it while fitting any hearing aid that occludes the canal), our system is chronically calibrated to it. Yes, there is a resonance, but the resonance is there to amplify that 2-5 kHz region for *all* sounds, so all broadband sounds should be equally affected. It is much more elegant in my opinion to frame perception as perception of *change* rather than perception of static spectral peaks; obviously this is not my own original idea. One of the more impressive experimenters in this line of work in the auditory sciences is Christian Stilp, whose work is described here: https://louisville.edu/psychology/stilp/lab/research Given these thoughts, I am more likely to marvel at the pleasant coincidence of resonance frequencies, but with a healthy dose of =E2=80=9Ca= w shucks=E2=80=9D rather than a press release or quest to support a particula= r narrative. Matt -------------------------------------------------------------- Matthew Winn, Au.D., Ph.D. Assistant Professor Dept. of Speech & Hearing Sciences University of Washington On Mon, Feb 6, 2017 at 12:56 PM, Huron, David <huron.1@xxxxxxxx> wrote: > Dear collective wisdom, > > I recall reading somewhere (long ago) that most human screams exhibit a > spectral peak in the 3 kHz region (more broadly, 2-5 kHz) coinciding with > the threshold dip due to the ear canal resonance. The implication is tha= t > screams are co-adapted to the most sensitive region of human hearing. > > Can anyone point me to a suitable reference? Even literature reporting > power spectrum data for human screams would be useful. > > David Huron > --f403045e6b2e5fa6cb0547fe4ba4 Content-Type: text/html; charset=UTF-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <div dir=3D"ltr"><p class=3D"MsoNormal">It=E2=80=99s tempting to draw a con= nection between the ~3 kHz resonance of the voice and the ~3 kHz resonance of the ear canal. There are= two reasons why I am reluctant to think too much of this coincidence:<span></sp= an></p> <p class=3D"MsoNormal"><br></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal">First, if we take the= evolutionary point of view, I would guess that we should be more interested in the screams of *babies* than adu= lts. And given the smaller size of babies=E2=80=99 vocal tracts, I would no long= er expect their peak resonance to align with that of our ear canal. <span></span></p> <p class=3D"MsoNormal"><br></p><p class=3D"MsoNormal">Second, while the ear= canal peak is prominent (enough that we audiologists need to compensate for it while fitting any hearing aid tha= t occludes the canal), our system is chronically calibrated to it. Yes, there= is a resonance, but the resonance is there to amplify that 2-5 kHz region for *all* sounds, so all broadband sounds should be equally affected. It is muc= h more elegant in my opinion to frame perception as perception of *change* ra= ther than perception of static spectral peaks; obviously this is not my own orig= inal idea. One of the more impressive experimenters in this line of work in the = auditory sciences is Christian Stilp, whose work is described here: <a href=3D"https= ://louisville.edu/psychology/stilp/lab/research">https://louisville.edu/psy= chology/stilp/lab/research</a><span></span></p> <p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span>=C2=A0</span></p> <p class=3D"MsoNormal">Given these thoughts, I am more likely to marvel at = the pleasant coincidence of resonance frequencies, but with a healthy dose of = =E2=80=9Caw shucks=E2=80=9D rather than a press release or quest to support a particula= r narrative. <span></span></p> <p class=3D"MsoNormal">Matt<span></span></p></div><div class=3D"gmail_extra= "><br clear=3D"all"><div><div class=3D"gmail_signature" data-smartmail=3D"g= mail_signature"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div><div dir=3D"ltr"><br></div><div dir= =3D"ltr">--------------------------------------------------------------</di= v><div dir=3D"ltr">Matthew Winn, Au.D., Ph.D.<br>Assistant Professor<br>Dep= t. of Speech & Hearing Sciences<br>University of Washington</div></div>= </div></div></div> <br><div class=3D"gmail_quote">On Mon, Feb 6, 2017 at 12:56 PM, Huron, Davi= d <span dir=3D"ltr"><<a href=3D"mailto:huron.1@xxxxxxxx" target=3D"_blank= ">huron.1@xxxxxxxx</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote= " style=3D"margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"> <div> <div style=3D"direction:ltr;font-family:Tahoma;color:#000000;font-size:10pt= "> <div>Dear collective wisdom,</div> <div><br> </div> <div>I recall reading somewhere (long ago) that most human screams exhibit = a spectral peak in the 3 kHz region (more broadly, 2-5 kHz) coinciding with= the threshold dip due to the ear canal resonance.=C2=A0 The implication is= that screams are co-adapted to the most sensitive region of human hearing.</div> <div><br> </div> <div>Can anyone point me to a suitable reference?=C2=A0 Even literature rep= orting power spectrum data for human screams would be useful.</div><span cl= ass=3D"HOEnZb"><font color=3D"#888888"> <div><br> </div> <div>David Huron</div> </font></span></div> </div> </blockquote></div><br></div> --f403045e6b2e5fa6cb0547fe4ba4--