Forward masking reveals an effect that only appears when sounds co-occur.

Evidence

Importantly, PTCs have been measured in two different experimental paradigms: simultaneous masking and forward masking. Up to this point, all of our discussion has revolved around simultaneous masking, a paradigm in which masker and signal are presented at the same time. In forward masking, the masker is always presented before the signal and the masker and signal never overlap in time. Using forward masking illustrates an important consequence of nonlinear auditory processing on the masking process, which occurs only when two sounds are presented simultaneously. — Jennifer Lentz, Psychoacoustics- Perception of Normal…, 529

Categorization

• DEFINE: Contrasts simultaneous versus forward masking paradigms as experimental tools.