Continuity effects with alternately sounding tones under dichotic presentation

An experiment is reported in which 10 Ss possessing normal hearing were required to make discriminations of continuity or interruption in a longer less intense signal (Tone A) which alternated in time with a shorter more intense signal (Tone B). The signals were presented dichotically with Tone A at the right ear. Three Tone B frequencies of 300, 1000, and 4000 cps and five Tone A frequencies somewhat near each of the Tone B frequencies were employed. The results demonstrated that as Tone A was nearer to Tone B in frequency, continuity thresholds in Tone A occurred at longer durations of Tone B. The results are discussed in terms of a central neural model.