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Auditory signals are able to integrate information from both ears in order to identify the sourse of a sound. This helps with allerting danger, potential mates, or other situational information that is necessary for survival and normal activities throughout the day. Humans have an accuracy of about 1 degree horizontally around their head, and may animals demonstrate even higher accuracy. There are two types of binaural (two-ear)cues that help with localization on the horizontal plane; intensity and latency.

Auditory systems for localizing sound

The differences in loudness at the two ears suggests that the louder side is closer to the sound because the ear is more directly pointed at the sound. The head casts a sound shadow which prevents sounds on one side from eaching both ears. This is most effective for high-frequency sounds. The structure of the pinnae assists in the sound shadow.

Intensity differences in localization with auditory cues

There are differences between the time of arrival for sounds between the two ears. One ear will always be closer to an off-axis sound than the other. The disparities can either be onset or ongoing phase disaprity.

Latency differences in localiztion with auditory cues

Birds and mammals have highly specialized brainstems to recieve information and use bipolar neurons for sound localization.

Brain systems in sound localization

Spectral cues give information about elevation (vertical location) of the soun. Varying binaural cues and spectral filtering of natural sound allow a person or animal to believe/identify a sound coming from a particular point in space.

This is important for acoustics or identifying sounds and who is tonally off in an orchestra.

Spectral cues in localization of auditory information

A person finds it much more difficult to pinpoint the exact location of a sound source when it is positioned directly in front of, behind, or above them, compared to when it is off to one side. Based on the principles of auditory localization, what is the most accurate explanation for this phenomenon?

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