Theories disagree as to whether it is the early or the late neural correlate of awareness that plays a critical role in phenomenal awareness. According to recurrent processing theory, early activity in primary sensory areas corresponds closely to phenomenal awareness. In support, research with electroencephalography found that in the visual and somatosensory modality, an early neural correlate of awareness is contralateral to the perceived side of stimulation. Thus, early activity is sensitive to the perceived side of visual and somatosensory stimulation. Critically, it is unresolved whether this is true also for hearing. In the present study (N = 26 students), Bayesian analyses showed that the early neural correlate of awareness (auditory awareness negativity, AAN) was stronger for contralateral than ipsilateral electrodes whereas the late correlate of auditory awareness (late positivity, LP) was not lateralized. These findings demonstrate that the early but not the late neural correlate of auditory awareness reflects lateralized experiences. Thus, these findings imply that AAN is a more suitable NCC than LP because it correlates more closely with lateralized experiences.

对于在现象意识中起关键作用的是意识的早期或晚期神经关联，理论存在分歧。根据循环加工理论，初级感觉区域的早期活动与现象意识密切相关。作为支持，脑电图研究发现，在视觉和体感模式中，意识的早期神经关联与感知刺激的对侧。因此，早期活动对视觉和体感刺激的感知方面很敏感。至关重要的是，这是否也适用于听力尚无定论。在本研究中（N = 26 名学生），贝叶斯分析表明，对侧电极的早期意识神经相关性（听觉意识负性，AAN）比同侧电极更强，而听觉意识的晚期相关性（晚期积极性，LP）没有侧化。这些发现表明，听觉意识的早期而非晚期神经相关反映了偏侧化的经验。因此，这些发现意味着 AAN 是比 LP 更合适的 NCC，因为它与侧化经验的相关性更紧密。