Which method is used for air conduction masking when a subject has a significant hearing difference?

Air conduction masking is a technique used to ensure that the non-test ear does not contribute to the test results when a significant difference in hearing sensitivity exists between the two ears. This is particularly important when the hearing threshold in one ear is substantially better than the other.

The method that involves using headphones or inserts is specifically designed to deliver sounds directly to the ear being tested while effectively keeping the sound out of the non-test ear. By using headphones or insert earphones, an audiologist can present masking noise to the non-test ear, allowing an accurate assessment of the hearing ability of the test ear without interference.

This method is essential in cases of asymmetric hearing loss because it helps in achieving valid thresholds by preventing the better hearing ear from 'hearing' sounds presented to the poorer ear. In contrast, other methods like bone conduction testing or sound field testing do not adequately isolate one ear from the other, making them less effective for air conduction masking in the context of significant differences in hearing thresholds. Pure tone audiometry is a procedure and not a method used specifically for masking; thus, it is not focused on the concerns of unilateral or bilateral discrepancies without incorporating masking strategies.