Elevation as a cue for auditory distance perception

This study examines the influence of angular elevation on auditory distance perception, drawing comparisons to previous findings in the visual modality. In experiment 1, twenty-two standing participants judged the distance to white noise bursts presented at fixed or roved intensities from loudspeakers placed at 2, 2.9, 4.2, and 6 m, either at ear-level (1.6 m height) or at floor-level, corresponding to angular elevations of 53.1°, 33.5°, 22.4°, and 15.5°. It was hypothesized that greater angular elevation would enhance distance estimation accuracy. Results confirmed this, suggesting that spatial hearing is influenced by geometric cues related to source elevation. Experiment 2 replicated the task using only roved intensities with 21 seated participants, resulting in reduced angular elevations of 36.9°, 24.4°, 16.6°, and 11.5°. Under these conditions, participants showed no significant difference in distance perception between floor-level and ear-level sources. The results suggest that angular elevation can contribute to auditory distance perception when it covaries with distance, particularly at relatively large elevation angles.