Auditory Perception and Hearing Mechanisms

These flashcards cover key concepts in auditory perception, including sound waves, the anatomy of the ear, types of hearing loss, and speech production.

Sound Waves

Produced by changes in air pressure that travel to the ear.

Pitch

The frequency of sound, measured in Hertz (Hz).

Volume

The amplitude of sound, measured in decibels (dB).

Timbre

The quality or color of sound, determined by the waveform.

Fundamental Frequency

The lowest frequency in the mix, which determines the pitch.

Fourier Analysis

A method to break down complex waveforms into single waves to find the fundamental frequency.

Outer Ear

Includes the pinna, ear canal, and tympanic membrane (ear drum).

Middle Ear

Contains the malleus, incus, stapes, round window, and Eustachian tube.

Inner Ear

Composed of the vestibular system, cochlea, and auditory nerve.

Basilar Membrane

Lining of the cochlea that contains hair cells.

Organ of Corti

Houses hair cells that transmit sound into electrical signals for the brain.

Cochlea

A spiral-shaped organ in the inner ear responsible for converting sound vibrations to neural signals.

Conductive Hearing Loss

Impairment of sound from the outer to middle ear due to various physical obstructions or damage.

Sensorineural Hearing Loss

Damage to the inner ear, often due to aging or exposure to loud noises.

Hearing Aid

A device that amplifies sound for those with conductive hearing loss, requiring functional cochlea.

Cochlear Implant

A device implanted to stimulate the auditory nerve when the cochlea is damaged.

Auditory Cortex

Part of the brain responsible for processing auditory information, located on Heschl’s Gyrus.

Sound Localization

The ability to determine the origin of a sound in space.

Biosonar

The way animals communicate using sound, often through high frequencies.

Phonemes

The smallest units of sound in speech.

Coarticulation

The influence of one phoneme on the adjacent phonemes.

Categorical Perception

The ability to perceive sounds as distinct categories.

Broca’s Area

Brain region associated with language production and speech.

Wernicke’s Area

Brain region associated with language comprehension.