Search

Listeners can be 'deaf' to a substantial change in a scene comprising multiple auditory objects unless their attention has been directed to the changed object. It is unclear whether auditory change detection relies on identification of the objects in pre- and post-change scenes. We compared the rates at which listeners correctly identify changed objects with those predicted by change-detection models based on signal detection theory (SDT) and high-threshold theory (HTT). Detected changes were not identified as accurately as predicted by models based on either theory, suggesting that some changes are detected by a process that does not support change identification. Undetected changes were identified as accurately as predicted by the HTT model but much less accurately than predicted by the SDT models. The process underlying change detection was investigated further by determining receiver-operating characteristics (ROCs). ROCs did not conform to those predicted by either a SDT or a HTT model but were well modeled by a dual-process that incorporated HTT and SDT components. The dual-process model also accurately predicted the rates at which detected and undetected changes were correctly identified. Keywords: audition, detection, identification, signal detection, high-threshold theory DOI: 10.1037/a0016895

INTRODUCTION Highly visual tasks such as flying and driving rely on the accurate and rapid detection and localization of objects so that appropriate action (e.g., avoidance) can be taken. Because […], We investigated the time participants took to perform a visual search task for targets outside the visual field of view using a helmet-mounted display. We also measured the effectiveness of visual and auditory cues to target location. The auditory stimuli used to cue location were noise bursts previously recorded from the ear canals of the participants and were either presented briefly at the beginning of a trial or continually updated to compensate for head movements. The visual cue was a dynamic arrow that indicated the direction and angular distance from the instantaneous head position to the target. Both visual and auditory spatial cues reduced search time dramatically, compared with unaided search. The updating audio cue was more effective than the transient audio cue and was as effective as the visual cue in reducing search time. These data show that both spatial auditory and visual cues can markedly improve visual search performance. Potential applications for this research include highly visual environments, such as aviation, where there is risk of overloading the visual modality with information.