International Licensing Examination (ILE) Practice Test

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What phenomenon occurs due to sound being directed towards one ear, reducing sound levels at the opposite ear?

Auditory deprivation
Head shadow effect
Dipalcusis
Poor binaural fusion

The correct answer is: Head shadow effect

The phenomenon described occurs because of the human head's geometry, which casts a "shadow" for sounds. When sound is directed toward one ear, the head blocks some of the sound waves from reaching the opposite ear, resulting in a difference in sound level. This effect enhances the ability to localize sound sources, as the brain uses the disparity in sound intensity between the two ears to determine the direction of the sound. Other options refer to different auditory phenomena. Auditory deprivation pertains to the effect of a lack of auditory stimuli, which doesn't specifically relate to sound directioning. Diphacusis is the perceived pitch difference of the same sound heard in both ears due to various reasons, not the directional sound effect. Poor binaural fusion refers to difficulties in integrating sounds heard in both ears, typically due to hearing loss or damage, and does not specifically explain the head shadow effect. Thus, the head shadow effect is the most relevant term for the scenario presented.