DETECTION VERSUS LOCALIZATION OF ASYNCHRONOUS DICHOTIC STIMULI - FURTHER EVIDENCE FOR SEPARATE AUDITORY PATHWAYS

Berlin et al. (1973) reported that a consonant-vowel (CV) syllable is processed preferentially in dichotic listening when its onset is delay ed by 30-60 msec. Wood et al. (1996) showed that this lag effect is no t madulated by attention. Using a ''selective-detection'' procedure to isolated detection accuracy from location accuracy, we re-examined th e influence of attention on the lag effect. Detection data reveal a la g effect that is not modulated by attention. Conversely, localization accuracy varies with attention but shows no lage effect. The results i ndicate that (1) the lag effect is preattentional and (2) identity and location of aurals signals are processed in separate pathways.