Psychoacoustics: Perception of Normal and Impaired Hearing with Audiology Applications (PDF)

Psychoacoustics: Perception of Normal and Impaired Hearing with Audiology Applications provides an overview of the field of psychoacoustics, with a primary focus on auditory perception. The influence of hearing loss on these general auditory abilities is discussed in every chapter. Components of the book also include the role of psychoacoustics in audiological assessment and treatment. Psychoacoustics is ideal for graduate students in audiology, who intend a clinical career and need an understanding of both normal and impaired auditory perception. It is intended to give students sufficient information to understand how the ear achieves auditory perception, what the capabilities of the ear are, and how hearing loss influences that perception. It also provides students with a foundation for further study in the area and to apply psychoacoustic principles to diagnostic audiology and audiological rehabilitation.

Each chapter presents self-contained information related to the acoustics, physiology, and methodologies as they apply to the topic being discussed. Chapters include the following: introduction; relevant acoustics; important physiological studies; perception by normal-hearing listeners; and, perception by listeners who have sensorineural hearing loss. The final chapter discusses clinical implications of deficits in perceptual abilities by listeners with sensorineural hearing loss. Because psychoacoustics is intimately integrated into clinical audiology, this chapter also includes a discussion of many of the clinical tests and practices that have evolved directly from psychoacoustic experimentation.

Key Features:

• Learning objectives and summaries begin and end each chapter to convey the goals of the text and review student comprehension.
• Each chapter contains a set of exercises designed to develop critical thinking about psychoacoustics.
• The text emphasizes applied learning for more effective and efficient learning of the material.
• A PluralPlus companion website contains PowerPoint lecture slides, and lab exercises and demonstrations so students may develop their understanding of psychoacoustic topics and instructors can facilitate that learning.