Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53715, USA.
J Acoust Soc Am. 2023 Aug 1;154(2):751-762. doi: 10.1121/10.0020567.
Web-based testing is an appealing option for expanding psychoacoustics research outside laboratory environments due to its simple logistics. For example, research participants partake in listening tasks using their own computer and audio hardware and can participate in a comfortable environment of their choice at their own pace. However, it is unknown how deviations from conventional in-lab testing affect data quality, particularly in binaural hearing tasks that traditionally require highly precise audio presentation. Here, we used an online platform to replicate two published in-lab experiments: lateralization to interaural time and level differences (ITD and ILD, experiment I) and dichotic and contralateral unmasking of speech (experiment II) in normal-hearing (NH) young adults. Lateralization data collected online were strikingly similar to in-lab results. Likewise, the amount of unmasking measured online and in-lab differed by less than 1 dB, although online participants demonstrated higher speech reception thresholds overall than those tested in-lab by up to ∼7 dB. Results from online participants who completed a hearing screening versus those who self-reported NH did not differ significantly. We conclude that web-based psychoacoustics testing is a viable option for assessing binaural hearing abilities among young NH adults and discuss important considerations for online study design.
基于网络的测试是一种很有吸引力的选择，可以将心理声学研究扩展到实验室环境之外，因为它的后勤工作很简单。例如，研究参与者使用自己的计算机和音频硬件参与听力任务，可以在自己选择的舒适环境中按照自己的节奏参与。然而，目前尚不清楚与传统实验室测试的偏差如何影响数据质量，特别是在传统上需要高度精确音频呈现的双耳听力任务中。在这里，我们使用在线平台复制了两个已发表的实验室实验：双侧时间和水平差异（ITD 和 ILD，实验 I）以及言语的双音和对侧掩蔽（实验 II）在正常听力（NH）的年轻成年人中。在线收集的侧化数据与实验室结果非常相似。同样，在线和实验室测量的掩蔽量相差不到 1dB，尽管在线参与者的语音接收阈值总体上比在实验室中测试的参与者高约 7dB。完成听力筛查的在线参与者与自我报告为 NH 的参与者的结果没有显著差异。我们得出结论，基于网络的心理声学测试是评估年轻 NH 成年人双耳听力能力的一种可行选择，并讨论了在线研究设计的重要考虑因素。
