Abstract
The psychophysical correlates of middle-ear muscle activity are anything but clear. The acoustic reflex (AR) reduces TTS at and from low frequencies, and it reduces the TTS caused by impulse noise. A shift in absolute threshold at low frequencies is observed in people who can do something that may be a voluntary contraction of the muscles, but not in people whose reflex is presumably aroused by external stimuli. As for changes in the loudness of suprathreshold stimuli, the evidence is contradictory: Some evidence suggests that the loudness of a low-frequency test tone is reduced when the AR is aroused by a contralateral stimulus only when the test tone is very loud; other evidence suggests that the loudness level is reduced the same number of phons no matter what the tone’s intensity; still other evidence suggests that loudness is not reduced at all, but rather enhanced, particularly at high intensities. Thus the precise manner in which the AR, separated from central interactive influences, has an effect on psychophysical judgments, demands further investigation.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Bibliography
Békésy, G. von. Über die Messung der Schwingungsamplitude der Gehörknöchelchen mittels einer kapazitiven Sonde. Akustische Zeitschrift, 1941, 6, 1–16.
Brasher, P. F., Coles, R. R. A., Elwood, M. A., & Ferres, H. M. Middle-ear muscle activity and temporary threshold shift. International Audiology, 1969, 8, 579–584.
Fleer, R. Protection afforded against impulsive noise by voluntary contraction of the middle ear muscles. In Middle Ear Function Seminar, Report No. 576, J. L. Fletcher, Ed. U.S. Army Medical Research Laboratory, 1963, pp. 196–200.
Fletcher, J. L. & King, W. P. Susceptibility of stapedectomized patients to noise induced temporary threshold shifts. Annals of Otology, Rhinology and Laryngology, 1963, 71, 900–907.
Gjaevenes, K., Gran, S. & Rollag, Ö. Contralateral remote masking and the aural reflex. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 1969, 46, 918–923.
Hansen, S. Phonophobia evaluated with Bekesy audiometry. International Audiology, 1965, 4, 53–55.
Jepsen, O. Studies on the acoustic stapedius reflex in man. Thesis, Aarhus Univ., Denmark, 1955.
Johansson, B., Kylin, B. & Langfy, M. Acoustic reflex as a test of individual susceptibility to nosei: a preliminary report. Acta Oto-laryngologica, 1967, 64, 256–262.
Loeb, M. & Riopelle, A. J. Influence of loud contralateral stimulation on the threshold and perceived loudness of low-frequency tones. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 1960, 32, 602–610.
Mills, J. H. & Lilly, D. J. Temporary threshold shift produced by pure tones and by noise in the absence of an acoustic reflex. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 1970, 50, 1556–1558.
Møller, A. Bilateral contraction of the tympanic muscles in man. Report No. 18, Speech Transmission Lab., Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Feb. 1961.
Neergaard, E. B., Andersen, H. C., Hansen, C. C., & Jepsen, O. Experimental studies on sound transmission in the human ear. Ill: Influence of the stapedius and tensor tympani muscles. Acta Otolaryngology, 1964, Suppl. 188, 280–286.
Perlman, H. B. Hyperacusis. Annals of Otology, Rhinology and Laryngology, 1938, 47 947–953
Prather, W. F. Shift in loudness of pure tones associated with contralateral noise stimulation. Journal of Speech and Hearing Research, 1961, 4, 182–193.
Reger, S. N. Effect of middle ear muscle action on certain psycho-physical measurements. Annals of Otology, Rhinology and Laryngology, 1960, 69, 1179–1198.
Smith, H. D. Audiometric effects of voluntary contraction of the tensor tympany muscle. A.M.A. Archives of Otolaryngology, 1943, 38, 369–372.
Smith, R. P., Loeb, M., Fletcher, J. L., & Thomas, D. M. The effect of moderate doses of curare on certain auditory functions. Acta Oto-laryngologica, 1966, 62, 101–108.
Tato, J. M. Personal communication, 1960.
Vigran, E. Loudness change of pure tones with contralateral noise stimulation. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 1965, 37, 1134–1138.
Ward, W. D. Studies on the aural reflex. I: Contralateral remote masking as an indicator of reflex activity. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 1961, 33, 1034–1045.
Ward, W. D. Studies on the aural reflex. Ill: Reflex latency as inferred from reduction of temporary threshold shift from impulses. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 1962, 34, 1132–1137. (a)
Ward, W D. Damage-risk criteria for line spectra. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 1962, 34, 1610–1619. (b)
Ward, W. D. Further observations on contralateral remote masking and related phenomena. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 1967, 42, 593–600.
Ward, W. D., Selters, W., & Glorig, A. Exploratory studies on temporary threshold shift from impulses. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 1961, 33, 781–793.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1974 D. Reidel Publishing Company, Dordrecht-Holland
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Ward, W.D. (1974). Psychophysical Correlates of Middle-Ear-Muscle Action. In: Moskowitz, H.R., Scharf, B., Stevens, J.C. (eds) Sensation and Measurement. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-010-2245-3_31
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-010-2245-3_31
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-010-2247-7
Online ISBN: 978-94-010-2245-3
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive