On Wed, 24 Jan 2001 17:47:40 -0500 (EST) Stephen Black
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> > 2) How high are the frequencies that other mammalian species can
> > detect?
> >
>
I had not replied to this message because I assumed that a slew of
colleagues would quickly reply. But it seems that even Stephen is
stumped. Here is one reference book that will provide detailed
information.
Fay, R. R. (1988). Hearing in vertebrates: A psychophysics databook.
Winnetka, IL: Hill-Fay Associates.
Dick Fay is also the editor of a book series on the comparative
psychophysics of hearing. They are wonderfully informative.
A second name to use for searches is H. E. Heffner.
Generally, there is an inverse relationship between head size and the
high frequency limit of hearing. Rats show peak sensitivity to tones
at about 8 Khz and 33 Khz, but can hear up to about 80 Khz!
> BTW, it seems to have a misprint as well, because it says that
> these are under ideal conditions, and than "actually, few human
> adults can ordinarily hear tones much above 8,000 cycles". I'm
> sure they meant 18,000.
>
This may not be a misprint but a reference to equal loudness contours.
Our sensitivity to sounds is a U-shaped function of frequency.
Ken
----------------------
Kenneth M. Steele, Ph.D. [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Associate Professor
Dept. of Psychology
Appalachian State University
Boone, NC 28608
