NORMAL-DISTRIBUTION OF AUDITORY CAPABILIT IES

Auditory performances were measured on two groups of normally-hearing listeners, for a total of 107 persons, whose ages ranged from 14 to 50 with a majority between 20 and 25. Aside from the classical audiogram , the variable tested were absolute and masked detection thresholds fo r one part, and discrimination thresholds for the rest. The main goal of this test battery was to get an estimate of the normal distribution of auditory capabilities for intensity, frequency, time and space var iables; but we also measured binaural fusion, stream segregation, timb re discrimination, and selectivity in general. The objective behind th is investigation is to build a simplified model for auditory perceptio n, based on a multidimensional representation. In this model, the main features of auditory perception could be represented by independant v ectors, and each individual by his components relative to these vector s. A statistical analysis.of our data show that it is not perfectly cl ear yet what the independant factors are. Nevertheless, a ''psychoacou stic profile'' can be defined, for each individual or for groups of in dividuals, based on a limited set of variables, that might prove to be a useful tool for some professional applications.