The Sense of Hearing

The Sense of Hearing is a highly accessible introduction to auditory perception, addressing the fundamental aspects of hearing. This fourth edition has been revised to include up-to-date research and references. In particular, Chapter 7 on Pitch and Periodicity Coding and Chapter 13 on Hearing Loss include new material to reflect the fast pace of research in these areas.

The book introduces the nature of sound and the spectrum, and the anatomy and physiology of the auditory system, before discussing basic auditory processes such as 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 a description of the physiological bases and perceptual consequences of hearing loss, as well as the latest diagnostic techniques and management options that are available.

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 in the fields of audiology and sound perception.

Christopher J. Plack is Ellis Llwyd Jones Professor of Audiology at the University of Manchester, UK, and Professor of Auditory Neuroscience at Lancaster University, UK. He has published over 140 peer-reviewed journal articles, 15 book chapters, and two edited volumes. In 2003, he was elected a Fellow of the Acoustical Society of America.