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Abstract

We examined how visual recalibration of apparent sound location obtained at a particular location generalizes to untrained locations. Participants pointed toward the origin of tone bursts scattered along
the azimuth, before and after repeated exposure to bursts in one particular location, synchronized with
point flashes of light a constant distance to their left/right. Adapter tones were presented straight ahead
in Experiment 1, and in the left or right periphery in Experiment 2. With both arrangements, different
generalization patterns were obtained on the visual distractor’s side of the auditory adapter and on the
opposite side. On the distractor side, recalibration generalized following a descending gradient; practically
no generalization was observed on the other side. This dependence of generalization patterns
on the direction of the discordance imposed during adaptation has not been reported before, perhaps
because the experimental designs in use did not allow its observation.