Gap detection by the chinchilla.

Five monaural chinchillas were trained with a method of shock-avoidance conditioning to respond to silent intervals, or gaps, in an otherwise noise. The noise was low-pass filtered at either 10 or 6 kHz and presented at six intensities ranging between 23- and 77- dB sound-pressure level (SPL). Gap detection thresholds were determined according to the method of constant stimuli. For both noise bands, gap thresholds were approximately 3 ms at the highest intensity levels and increased to approximately 6 ms at the lowest level. The results obtained from the chinchilla are in general agreement with those obtained from man.