Abstract
The study examined the effect of a continuous 1,000-Hz 80-dB accessory tone upon the detectability of a visual stimulus presented to the peripheral retina. All Ss received the primary visual stimulus both with and without an accessory auditory stimulus. Detection of the visual stimulus was measured by means of a forced-choice indicator. The presence of the accessory tone significantly decreased the percentage of light detections. An unexpected finding was that incorrect responses were unequally distributed among the four observation intervals. It was concluded that continuous intense accessory auditory stimulation inhibits visual sensitivity.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
References
BROADBENT, D. E. Perception and communication. New York: Pergamon Press, 1958.
DAVIS, E. Heteromodal effects upon visual thresholds. Psychological Monographs, 1966, 80(Whole No. 633).
GILBERT, G. Intersensory facilitation and inhibition. Journal of General Psychology, 1941, 24, 381–409.
HAYS, W. L. Statistics. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston, 1963.
INCE, L. Effects of low-intensity acoustical stimulation on visual thresholds. Perceptual & Motor Skills, 1968, 26, 115–121.
LINDZEY, G. (Ed.) Handbook of social psychology. Vol. 1. Cambridge, Mass: Addison-Wesley, 1954.
LONDON, I. Research in sensory interaction in the Soviet Union. Psychological Bulletin, 1954, 51, 531–568.
LOVELESS, N., BREBNER, J., & HAMILTON, P. Bisensory presentation of information. Psychological Bulletin, 1970, 73, 161–199.
MARUYAMA, K. Effect of intersensory tone stimulation on absolute light threshold. Tohoku Psychologica Folio, 1959, 17, 51–81.
RYAN, T. Interrelations of the sensory systems in perception. Psychological Bulletin, 1941, 37, 659–698.
SIDMAN, M. Tactics of scientific research. New York: Basic Books, 1960.
SYMONS, J. R. The effect of various heteromodal stimuli on visual sensitivity. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 1963, 15, 243–251.
THORNE, F. The psychophysical measurement of the temporal course of visual sensitivity. Archives of Psychology, 1934, 25, 1–66.
WATKINS, W. Effect of certain noises upon detection of visual signals. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 1964, 67, 72–75.
WATKINS, W., & FEEHRER, C. Investigations of acoustic effects upon visual signal detection. Technical Report No. 64-577, December 1964, USAF Electronics Systems Division, Bedford, Mass
WATKINS, W., & FEEHRER, C. Acoustic facilitation of visual detection. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 1965, 70, 332–333.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
The experiment described formed the basis of a thesis leading to the MA degree from the Department of Psychology at the University of Kansas. The authors wish to express their gratitude to Drs. George Kellas and Juliet Shaffer for their assistance.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Maloney, D.M., Welch, R.B. The effect of accessory auditory stimulation upon detection of visual signals. Psychon Sci 29, 345–347 (1972). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03336596
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03336596