Re: sex differences in perception of environmental sounds (Brian Gygi )

Subject: Re: sex differences in perception of environmental sounds From: Brian Gygi <bgygi@xxxxxxxx> Date: Tue, 18 May 2010 06:11:17 +0000 List-Archive:<http://lists.mcgill.ca/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=AUDITORY> ----=_vm_0011_W6254910057_24861_1274163077 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable David, Although no formal body has ruled on the topic, in the past several years= the term "environmental sounds" has acquired a relatively stable definit= ion - namely familiar, naturally occurring sounds that refer to physical = sources in the environment. There is of course some ambiguity regarding p= recisely what fits into this category, i.e., do musical instruments count= , whose primary function is acoustic conveyance of aesthetic attributes r= ather than sound source specification? In any case,tThis is the definitio= n I and others have taken in our work and what I assume Joanna meant. If = not I hope she will let us know. Brian Gygi, Ph.D. Speech and Hearing Research Veterans Affairs Northern California Health Care System 150 Muir Road Martinez, CA 94553 (925) 372-2000 x5653 -----Original Message----- From: David Mountain [mailto:dcm@xxxxxxxx Sent: Monday, May 17, 2010 08:06 PM To: AUDITORY@xxxxxxxx Subject: Re: sex differences in perception of environmental sounds I think that before we can address this question, we need to define what = we mean by "environmental sounds." On Mon, May 17, 2010 at 10:47 AM, valeriy shafiro <firosha@xxxxxxxx> wro= te: Dear Joanna, As far as I know across the studies of environmental sound perception in the last 20-30 years none was designed specifically to examine male/female differences. Results from studies that looked at identification of large collections of different types of environmental sounds also did not find any differences, although in a recent study on environmental sound identification within contextually congruent and incongruent auditory scenes, Brian Gygi and I, saw an overall identification difference between males and females, but it was small (3-4 points) and non significant. It is conceivable that given a large variety of familiar environmental sounds tested in these studies, whatever differences there may be between males and females are obscured, and that for a set of specific sounds there are may be sex differeces in behavioral of physiologic measures (e.g. baby crying). While not specifically targeting environmental sounds, John Neuhoff did find some interesting sex differences in the perception of looming motion, which might relevant to your question. Best regards, Valeriy On Mon, May 17, 2010 at 7:40 AM, Joanna Kantor-Martynuska <joanna.kantor@xxxxxxxx> wrote: > Dear Auditory List, > > I would very much appreciate your suggestions about the literature rega= rding > sex differences in perception of environmental sounds. I=92m intrested = in > physiological indices of auditory predispositions for perception of > different sounds we encounter in our natural environment. > > Looking forward to any interesting suggestions or links. > > Best, > Joanna Kantor -- David C. Mountain, Ph.D. Professor of Biomedical Engineering Boston University 44 Cummington St. Boston, MA 02215 Email: dcm@xxxxxxxx Website: http://www.bu.edu/hrc/research/laboratories/auditory-biophysics/= Phone: (617) 353-4343 FAX: (617) 353-6766 Office: ERB 413 ----=_vm_0011_W6254910057_24861_1274163077 Content-Type: text/html; charset="windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <html><div><= br></div><div>David,</div= ><div> </= span></div><div>Although no formal body= has ruled on the topic, in the past several years the term "environmenta= l sounds" has acquired a relatively stable definition - namely familiar, = naturally occurring sounds that refer to  physical sources in the en= vironment.  There is of course some ambiguity regarding precisely wh= at fits into this category, i.e., do musical instruments count, whose pri= mary function is acoustic conveyance of aesthetic attributes rather than = sound source specification?  In any case,tThis is the definition I a= nd others have taken in our work and what I assume Joanna meant.  If= not I hope she will let us know.</div><div> </div><div> </div>Brian Gygi, Ph.D. Speech and H= earing Research Veterans Affairs Northern California Health Care Syste= m 150 Muir Road Martinez, CA 94553 (925) 372-2000 x5653<div><fon= t face=3D"Verdana" color=3D"#0000ff" size=3D"2"> </div><block= quote style=3D"PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff = 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">-----Origi= nal Message----- From: David Mountain [mailto:dcm@xxxxxxxx <b= >Sent: Monday, May 17, 2010 08:06 PM To: AUDITORY@xxxxxxxx= ILL.CA Subject: Re: sex differences in perception of environmen= tal sounds I think that before we can address this question= , we need to define what we mean by "environmental sounds." <div c= lass=3D"gmail_quote">On Mon, May 17, 2010 at 10:47 AM, valeriy shafiro <s= pan dir=3D"ltr"><<a mce_href=3D"mailto:firosha@xxxxxxxx" target=3D"_b= lank" href=3D"mailto:firosha@xxxxxxxx">firosha@xxxxxxxx</a>> = wrote: <blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0 0 0 .8ex;bo= rder-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex;">Dear Joanna, As far as= I know across the studies of environmental sound perception in the la= st 20-30 years none was designed specifically to examine male/female d= ifferences.  Results from studies that looked at identification o= f large collections of different types of environmental sounds also di= d not find any differences, although in a recent study on environmenta= l sound identification within contextually congruent and incongruent a= uditory scenes, Brian Gygi and I, saw an overall identification differ= ence between males and females, but it was small (3-4 points) and non = significant.  It is conceivable that given a large variety of fam= iliar environmental sounds tested in these studies, whatever differenc= es there may be between males and females are obscured, and that for a= set of specific sounds there are may be sex differeces in behavioral = of physiologic measures (e.g. baby crying).  While not specifical= ly targeting environmental sounds, John Neuhoff did find some interest= ing sex differences in the perception of looming motion, which might r= elevant to your question. Best regards, Valeriy On M= on, May 17, 2010 at 7:40 AM, Joanna Kantor-Martynuska <<a mce_href=3D= "mailto:joanna.kantor@xxxxxxxx" target=3D"_blank" href=3D"mailto:joann= a.kantor@xxxxxxxx">joanna.kantor@xxxxxxxx</a>> wrote: > De= ar Auditory List, > > I would very much appreciate your sugge= stions about the literature regarding > sex differences in percepti= on of environmental sounds. I=92m intrested in > physiological indi= ces of auditory predispositions for perception of > different sound= s we encounter in our natural environment. > > Looking forwar= d to any interesting suggestions or links. > > Best, > = Joanna Kantor </blockquote></div> -- = David C. Mountain, Ph.D. Professor of Biomedical Engineering Bo= ston University 44 Cummington St. Boston, MA 02215 Email: &n= bsp; <a mce_href=3D"mailto:dcm@xxxxxxxx" target=3D"_blank" href=3D"mailto:d= cm@xxxxxxxx">dcm@xxxxxxxx</a> Website: <a mce_href=3D"http://www.bu.edu/hr= c/research/laboratories/auditory-biophysics/" target=3D"_blank" href=3D"h= ttp://www.bu.edu/hrc/research/laboratories/auditory-biophysics/">http://w= ww.bu.edu/hrc/research/laboratories/auditory-biophysics/</a> Phone: &n= bsp; (617) 353-4343 FAX:     (617) 353-6766 Office: &nbsp= ;ERB 413 </blockquote></html> ----=_vm_0011_W6254910057_24861_1274163077--

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