What is the term for a theory that explains how auditory neurons work together to encode sounds?

The correct answer is volley theory, which is relevant for understanding how groups of auditory neurons respond to sounds. This theory proposes that individual auditory neurons can fire action potentials at particular frequencies, but they can't keep up with the higher frequencies due to the refractory period. Volley theory suggests that groups of neurons can work together to encode the frequency of sounds by firing in tandem. This collaboration allows the auditory system to better represent frequencies and harmonics that might be too high for a single neuron to encode alone.

In contrast, frequency theory focuses on how the rate of firing of a single neuron correlates with the frequency of the sound, while place theory explains how different parts of the cochlea respond to different frequencies. Resonance theory, while related to sound perception, primarily describes how certain frequencies can cause objects to vibrate at specific resonant frequencies. Each of these other theories provides valuable information about auditory processing, but volley theory specifically addresses the collective action of neurons working together to encode auditory information.