Abstract
Temporal, spectral, and combined temporal-spectral resolution of hearing was assessed
by recording masked hearing thresholds. The masker was an octave band noise. Spectral
resolution was assessed by introducing a spectral gap of half an octave bandwidth
in the masker. A 50–msec gap assessed temporal resolution. The spectral and temporal
gaps were used separately or simultaneously. Normal-hearing and hearing-impaired subjects
participated. For each masking condition, the subjects were tested at masker levels
50, 60, 70, and 80 dB SPL and at test-tone frequencies 0.5,1, 2, and 4 kHz. Normal-hearing
subjects showed reduced masking with spectral and temporal gaps. The combination of
spectral and temporal gap reduced masking further. The release of masking was dependent
upon the masker level. Hearing-impaired subjects showed less release of masking than
normal-hearing subjects. The degree of hearing impairment was inversely related to
release of masking. Reliability of the test procedure was assessed.
Abbreviations: HI = hearing impaired, MCL = most comfortable level, NH = normal hearing, OAD = obscure
auditory dysfunction, RoM = release of masking
Key Words
Combined temporal-spectral resolution - hearing - masker level - normal hearing -
release of masking - sensorineural hearing impairment - spectral resolution - temporal
resolution