The effect of burst duration, interstimulus onset interval, and loudspeaker arrangement on auditory apparent motion in the free field

The illusion of auditory apparent motion (AAM) was examined in order to determine the burst durations and interstimulus onset intervals (ISOIs) at which AAM is heard when spatial information regarding source location was varied. In the first experiment AAM was examined in the free field under monaural and binaural listening conditions. AAM was heard at the same burst duration-ISOI combinations for both listening conditions, but the location of the lead source could be determined only under binaural listening. In the second experiment AAM was measured with two and three sound sources. The number of sources did not affect the burst duration-ISOI combinations that produced AAM, but did affect the determination of the location of the lead source. In the third experiment AAM was tested when the sources were located in the median plane. The sources were located either at 0 degrees and 180 degrees azimuth, or both at 0 degrees azimuth, one in the horizontal plane and one 20 degrees above. The location of the speakers did not affect the timing requirements for the perception of AAM, only the timing requirements for the detection of the lead source. In the fourth experiment, AAM was measured when the vertical separation between the sources was either 2.5 degrees or 20 degrees. AAM was heard at both separations, even though 2.5 degrees is less than the vertical MAA. In each of these experiments only burst duration and ISOI determined whether motion was heard. Localization cues were important only for the determination of the direction of motion. Copyright 1994 Acoustical Society of America