Monaural Sound Localization Using Spectral Cues

This chapter begins by summarizing the acoustic basis of monaural sound localization. Measures performed in the ear canal of human listeners reveal a rich complexity of spectral information that changes in relation to the location of auditory stimuli. Neurophysiological representations of these spectral cues are followed from generalized population responses of the auditory nerve to specialized pathways of the dorsal cochlear nucleus and inferior colliculus. The perceptual basis of monaural sound localization is revealed by reviewing a century of research with monaural listeners, ear plugging procedures, and spectral manipulations. Animal studies explore the neuroanatomical basis of monaural spectral processing and address the potential species specificity of the specialized processes that dictate monaural sound localization in humans.