Detection of linear frequency glides as a function of frequency and duration

This article compares frequency discrimination thresholds for four conditions, using a two‐interval forced‐choice task: (1) discrimination of a difference in center frequency for two pulsed tones (DLF); (2) discrimination of a steady tone from an up‐frequency glide with the same mean frequency (UP‐DL); (3) discrimination of a steady tone from a down‐frequency glide with the same mean frequency (DOWN‐DL); (4) discrimination of an up‐frequency glide from a down‐frequency glide with the same mean frequency (UPVSDOWN‐DL). All glides were linear in Hz/s. Experiment 1 measured thresholds as a function of center frequency over the range 500–8000 Hz in 1‐oct steps, for a fixed duration of 500 ms. The variation of glide thresholds with frequency was similar to that for the DLFs. Experiment 2 measured thresholds as a function of duration over the range 50–750 ms, for a fixed center frequency of 2000 Hz. The DLFs decreased monotonically with increasing duration. The glide thresholds decreased as duration increased f...