Final answer:
Binaural hearing is the term used for comparing auditory signals from both ears to identify the direction of a sound source, utilizing interaural time and intensity differences.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term that refers to the comparison of signals from both the right and left ears to localize the source of a sound is binaural hearing. This process involves the brain analyzing differences in the time it takes for a sound to reach each ear (interaural time differences) and the intensity of the sound at each ear (interaural level differences). Through binaural hearing, the brain's auditory nuclei in the brain stem calculate these differences to localize sound sources. This is essential for determining the direction from which a sound originates.
For instance, if a sound is louder and arrives earlier at the left ear compared to the right, the brain deduces that the sound source is closer to the left side. Binaural hearing refers to the comparison of signals from both the right and left ears to localize the source of a sound. The auditory system uses both monaural (one-eared) and binaural cues to determine the location of a sound.