The Sense of Hearing is a truly accessible introduction to auditory perception, addressing the fundamental aspects of hearing. Thoroughly revised throughout, this edition reflects recent discoveries in the field, and includes additional coverage of the neural basis of hearing. The book introduces the nature of sound and the spectrum, and the anatomy and physiology of the auditory system, before discussing basic auditory processes including frequency selectivity, loudness and pitch perception, temporal resolution, and sound localization. Subsequent chapters show how complex processes such as perceptual organization, speech perception, and music perception are dependent on the initial analysis that occurs when sounds enter the ear. The book concludes with coverage of how hearing impairment can provide an insight into disorders of the auditory system.
Featuring student-friendly resources including an overview of research techniques, an extensive glossary of technical terms, and over 150 original illustrations, The Sense of Hearing offers a clear introduction and an essential resource for students and educators involved in this challenging field.
Table of Contents:
Preface. 1. Introduction 2. The Nature of Sound 3. Production, Propagation, and Processing 4. A Journey through the Auditory System 5. Frequency Selectivity 6. Loudness and Intensity Coding 7. Pitch and Periodicity Coding 8. Hearing over Time 9. Spatial Hearing 10. The Auditory Scene 11. Speech 12. Music 13. Hearing Impairment 14. Concluding Remarks. Appendix: Researching the Ear
About the Author :
Christopher J. Plack is Ellis Llwyd Jones Professor of Audiology at the University of Manchester and Professor of Auditory Neuroscience at Lancaster University.
Review :
"I am delighted to recommend the third edition of The Sense of Hearing. The third edition is fully up to date and provides a very clear and accurate introduction to auditory perception and its neural basis, including disorders of hearing. The book is written in a highly accessible way and will be suitable for undergraduate and masters level courses in psychology, audiology, music, audio engineering, and audio design." - Brian C.J. Moore, Cambridge University, UK
"Every course on auditory psychophysics needs a book that summarizes the history of the field and highlights new and exciting finding in existing literature in a manner that can be digested by students. Chris Plack’s new book offers the perfect combination of experimental outcomes and models with outstanding diagrams." - Ruth Litovsky, University of Wisconsin – Madison, USA
"Written in an approachable and comfortable style, The Sense of Hearing is fully recommended to any student interested in hearing science. It is an engaging introduction to all the key topics, from the classic experiments that underpin current knowledge to the potential research questions of the future." - Michael Akeroyd, University of Nottingham, UK
"This book is a must-have for students of auditory perception, and hearing sciences more generally. Even the more complicated topics are presented in an approachable and systematic way that makes it suitable both for classroom teaching and for self-study. I would highly recommend it for courses at both the undergraduate and graduate level." - Andrew Oxenham, University of Minnesota, USA
