Loudness constancy may require ecologically valid sound sources

Evidence

Their tentative conclusion was that loudness constancy may only occur using stimuli of relatively high ecological validity. Ecological validity may be enhanced when an external source is used, when that source is speech, particularly connected speech rather than isolated words, and when accompanied by coherent visual cues. Since all these conditions are fulfilled when listening to someone in real life, the phenomenon of loudness constancy can be compellingly, if informally, demonstrated by simply occluding one ear with a finger when listening to someone talk; most people report that no change in loudness is apparent. — Dijk, Pim van, Physiology, Psychoacoustics and…, 1525

Categorization

• CANDY: The finger-over-ear trick is a fun, immediately testable everyday demonstration most people can try.
• QUESTION: Worth chasing whether the effect requires speech specifically or externalisation generally.