basilar membrane

a fibrous membrane within the cochlea that supports the organ of Corti. In response to sound, the basilar membrane vibrates; this leads to stimulation of the hair cells—the auditory receptors within the organ of Corti. The mechanical properties of the basilar membrane vary over its length (34 mm in humans), giving rise to a pattern of movement known as a traveling wave, or Békésy traveling wave. The location of the maximum movement depends on the frequency of the sound. This fundamental aspect of mammalian hearing was discovered by Georg von Békésy.

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Psychology term of the day

November 18th 2024

paradigm clash

in science or philosophy, the conflict that occurs when a new set of fundamental assumptions about reality or human knowledge proves incompatible with an established set of such assumptions. For example, the doctrine of organic evolution challenged established thinking about the origin and nature of the living world and ultimately replaced previous theories.