Au
ditory localization experiments typically either require subjects to ju
dge the location of a soun
d source from a
discrete set of response alternatives or involve measurements of the accuracy of orienting responses ma
de towar
d the source location. To compare the results obtaine
d by both metho
ds, we traine
d ferrets by positive con
ditioning to stan
d on a platform at the center of a circular arena prior to stimulus presentation an
d then approach the source of a broa
dban
d noise burst
delivere
d from 1 of 12 lou
dspeakers arrange
d at 30° intervals in the horizontal plane. Animals were rewar
de
d for making a correct choice. We also obtaine
d a non-categorize
d measure of localization accuracy by recor
ding hea
d-orienting movements ma
de
during the first secon
d following stimulus onset. The accuracy of the approach-to-target responses
decline
d as the stimulus
duration was re
duce
d, particularly for lateral an
d posterior locations, although responses to soun
ds presente
d in the frontal region of space an
d directly behin
d the animal remaine
d quite accurate. Hea
d movements ha
d a latency of
direct.com/sci
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der="0">200 ms an
d varie
d systematically in amplitu
de with stimulus
direction. However, the final hea
d bearing progressively un
dershot the target with increasing eccentricity an
d rarely excee
de
d 60° to each si
de of the mi
dline. In contrast to the approach-to-target responses, the accuracy of the hea
d orienting responses
di
d not change much with stimulus
duration, suggesting that the improvement in percent correct scores with longer stimuli was
due, at least in part, to re-sampling of the acoustical stimulus after the initial hea
d turn ha
d been ma
de. Nevertheless, for incorrect trials, hea
d orienting responses were more closely correlate
d with the
direction approache
d by the animals than with the actual target
direction, implying that at least part of the neural circuitry for translating sensory spatial signals into motor comman
ds is share
d by these two behaviors.