Identification of the mismatch negativity in the responses of individual listeners

The mismatch negativity (MMN) was recorded from normal adults in three stimulus conditions: two contrast conditions and a control condition in which standard and deviant stimuli were identical. Averaged waveforms were analyzed by examiners blind to the evoking stimulus condition. Hit rates, a false alarm rate, and d' values were determined based on the number of MMNs identified in each condition. Hit rates were low and the false alarm rate was relatively high, resulting in unacceptably small d' values. The relationship between MMN findings and corresponding behavioral discrimination data for individual listeners was not systematic. Factors that may contribute to ambiguity and error in MMN data analysis are discussed.