The Information of Elementary Multidimensional Auditory Displays

A given amount of information may be incorporated within elementary auditory displays by utilizing a small number of finely subdivided stimulus dimensions or by utilizing a relatively larger number of crudely subdivided stimulus dimensions. Experimental interest to date has been confined largely to the former type of display; the present study considers the latter type. Specifically, the informational transmission with elementary auditory displays of a large number (6–8) stimulus dimensions was investigated. In general, nearly perfect identification was obtained with skilled listeners when each dimension was crudely subdivided into two alternative states. Finer subdivision of each dimension does not produce a proportional gain in information transmission with the display.