Remote testing for psychological and physiological acoustics: Initial report of the ASA P&P Task Force on Remote Testing

Acoustics research involving human participants typically takes place in specialized laboratory settings. Lis-tening studies, for example, may present controlled sounds using calibrated transducers in sound-attenuating or anechoic chambers. In contrast, remote testing takes place away from the lab, in natural settings or in participants’ homes. Remote testing could provide greater access to participants, larger sample sizes, and enhanced ecological validity, at the cost of reduced acoustical control, less precise calibration, and incon-sistency of participant experiences. The ASA Technical Committee on Psychological and Physiological Acoustics (P&P) launched the Task Force on Remote Testing in May 2020, with goals of (1) surveying ap-proaches and platforms available to support remote testing by ASA members, (2) identifying challenges and considerations for prospective investigators, and (3) communicating this information via online resources, papers, and presentations. Longer-term goals include identifying best practices and providing resources for evaluating outcomes of remote testing, e.g. via peer review.