Absolute threshold is the minimum detectable sound level without external noise

Evidence

One of the core psychoacoustic and audiological assessments is the measurement of absolute threshold, the minimum detectable level of a sound in the absence of external noise. The absolute threshold is a reflection of auditory sensitivity at the detection level, and provides a measure of the lower limit hearing. From a psychoacoustic standpoint, measurements of absolute threshold have greatly influenced the development of technologies (such as the telephone, stereo systems, and hearing aids) but also have contributed to our understanding of the relationship between sound and its perception. In clinical audiology, measuring absolute threshold forms the foundation of the audiogram, which is useful both in its ability to characterize the hearing loss of a particular patient and in guiding hearing aid fitting. — Jennifer Lentz, Psychoacoustics- Perception of Normal…, 150

Categorization

• DEFINE: Defines absolute threshold, the foundational measure framing this whole chapter and the reader’s stated interest in hearing perception.