According to current theories, auditory selective attention alters the
sensory analysis of acoustic inputs only in the central auditory syst
em. Despite numerous attempts, no evidence of attentional selection ha
s been found in the auditory periphery. Measurements of evoked otoacou
stic emissions (EOAEs) during a selective dichotic listening task show
ed that the EOAEs to tones in one ear had larger amplitude when attent
ion was directed to this ear than when attention was directed to the o
pposite ear. The results indicate that genuine effects of auditory sel
ective attention can be observed at the cochlear receptor.