For which of the following is 0 dB usually the interaural attenuation value?

In audiometry, interaural attenuation refers to the loss of sound energy that occurs as sound crosses from one ear to the other. For bone conduction testing, the interaural attenuation is typically considered to be 0 dB. This is due to the nature of bone conduction, where the vibration is transmitted through the skull bones and can stimulate both cochleae simultaneously, without any attenuation affecting how the sound is perceived in either ear.

When assessing air conduction, interaural attenuation values vary, often being higher than 0 dB. For supra-aural headphones, the interaural attenuation is generally around 40 dB, while for insert earphones, it’s significantly higher, often cited between 60 to 70 dB. Tuning fork testing also does not have a standardized interaural attenuation value and its results can vary depending on the method and the individual being tested.

Recognizing that bone conduction provides sound to both ears simultaneously without significant loss of energy is key in understanding why 0 dB is the established value for this testing method, differentiating it from air conduction methods where the attenuation is influenced by the transducer used.