The Effect of Combining Monaural Cues to Distance

The degree to which distance can be perceived depends on combinations of distance cues that are inherently ambiguous in isolation. Previous research on combining distance cues has focused on static monocular cues and has shown an additive relation. The present experiment was designed to examine how people integrate monaural cues (loudness, delay of reception from initiation, and frequency attenuation) to perceive distance. Monaural distance information was presented to participants using desktop computers and headphones. A general linear model (GLM) analysis revealed that monaural cues, much like visual cues, are combined linearly to form a percept of distance, but with greater weighting given to loudness. Thus, designers of spatial displays that might be used in conditions of poor visibility could supply auditory cues for distance information. Additionally, this paper could be seen as a step along the way in understanding how people integrate multiple sources of information to perceive distance.