Elevation as a cue for auditory distance perception.

Abstract

This study examines the influence of angular elevation on auditory distance perception, drawing comparisons to previous findings in the visual modality. In experiment 1, twenty-two standing participants judged the distance to white noise bursts presented at fixed or roved intensities from loudspeakers placed at 2, 2.9, 4.2, and 6 m, either at ear-level (1.6 m height) or at floor-level, corresponding to angular elevations of 53.1°, 33.5°, 22.4°, and 15.5°. It was hypothesized that greater angular elevation would enhance distance estimation accuracy. Results confirmed this, suggesting that spatial hearing is influenced by geometric cues related to source elevation. Experiment 2 replicated the task using only roved intensities with 21 seated participants, resulting in reduced angular elevations of 36.9°, 24.4°, 16.6°, and 11.5°. Under these conditions, participants showed no significant difference in distance perception between floor-level and ear-level sources. The results suggest that angular elevation can contribute to auditory distance perception when it covaries with distance, particularly at relatively large elevation angles.