Formation of three-dimensional auditory space

Abstract

Human listeners need to permanently interact with their three-dimensional (3-D) environment. To this end, they require efficient perceptual mechanisms to form a sufficiently accurate 3-D auditory space. In this chapter, we discuss the formation of the 3-D auditory space from various perspectives. The aim is to show the link between cognition, acoustics, neurophysiology, and psychophysics, when it comes to spatial hearing. First, we present recent cognitive concepts for creating internal models of the complex auditory environment. Second, we describe the acoustic signals available at our ears and discuss the spatial information they convey. Third, we look into neurophysiology, seeking for the neural substrates of the 3-D auditory space. Finally, we elaborate on psychophysical spatial tasks and percepts that are possible just because of the formation of the auditory space.