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Single Channel Theory and Dichotic Listening

Abstract

IT is often assumed in theories of selective attention that dichotic auditory inputs can be considered as separate channels subject to filtering before complete analysis1. But the fact that highly probable or particularly significant items in the “rejected” message are detected and followed2,3 has led to the revision of this “single channel” theory to allow for some degree of analysis of the rejected message4,5. It is also possible, however, that the initial selection takes place on at least two criteria: spatial location of the message (right or left ear) and probability of the item, with high probability of an item overriding spatial location as a determinant of selection.

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References

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BLOOMFIELD, T. Single Channel Theory and Dichotic Listening. Nature 236, 465–466 (1972). https://doi.org/10.1038/236465a0

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