Figure-Ground discrimination is sometimes referred to as Signal to Noise Discrimination in the Auditory Modality.
There can be little doubt that we have received a genetic inheritance of basic neural networks that make our amazing auditory perceptual skills at all possible. And then we spend many years building upon and perfecting these networks.
Auditory perception involves many processes, and sub processes and sub sub processes, all of which are important.
To discuss them all would require almost taking a major in Psychology. For now we will examine the following select group of major processes: Figure-ground discrimination; Closure; Temporal Resolving Power, and Memory.
1. Figure (Signal)-Ground (Noise) Discrimination: We have discussed figure-ground in generic terms, and have provided examples for the visual modality.