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The use of evoked cortical potentials as an indicator of auditory acuity is limited by the small number of stimulations possible before the acoustic signal no longer produces this response. The present study employed a form of 'conditioning' in order to prolong responsiveness; a test tone was temporally associated with light flashes until the tone came to produce an EEG response in anticipation of the photic stimulus. Auditory thresholds obtained with this electrocortical anticipatory response were comparable to those given voluntarily by 23 of 24 normal-hearing young adults. Pure-tone frequencies of 500, 1000, and 2000 cps were used in a counterbalanced design to examine transfer of the EEG response between frequencies; no difference in transfer was found. The electrocortical anticipatory response is viewed as a promising tool in assessing the auditory capacity of persons who are unable or unwilling to respond voluntarily in current audiological procedures. This technique is also considered an indicator of the functional integrity of the higher auditory system in that it entails learning to associate acoustic with photic events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]