The stability of and the relation between the acoustic reflex and uncomfortable loudness levels.

Abstract

Acoustic reflexes and uncomfortable loudness levels were recorded for eight normal-hearing listeners on eight separate occasions and eight listeners with sensorineural hearing impairments on three to four occasions. Frequencies tested were 500, 1000, 2000, and 4000 Hz for both measures. Neither acoustic reflexes nor uncomfortable loudness levels was found to vary significantly across sessions for either the normal or hearing impaired listeners. However, significant intensity differences were noted between acoustic reflexes and uncomfortable loudness levels, for both subject groups, and these differences were dependent upon subject and frequency.