Does the conceptual similarity of sounds affect the usefulness of cues to perceived relative distance?

auditory perception;ecological;Similarity

Chipley, Michael Ryan ; Doug Gillan, Committee Member,Chris Mayhorn, Committee Member,James Kalat, Committee Member,Donald H. Mershon, Committee Chair,Chipley, Michael Ryan ; Doug Gillan ; Committee Member ; Chris Mayhorn ; Committee Member ; James Kalat ; Committee Member ; Donald H. Mershon ; Committee Chair

University:North Carolina State University

关键词: auditory perception;    ecological;    Similarity;   

Others  :  https://repository.lib.ncsu.edu/bitstream/handle/1840.16/4763/etd.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

美国|英语

来源: null

【 摘 要 】

ABSTRACTCHIPLEY, MICHAEL RYAN.Does the conceptual similarity of sounds affect the usefulness of cues to perceived relative distance?(Under the direction of Dr. Donald H. Mershon.)This series of experiments utilized an ecological psychoacoustic approach examining the effect of conceptual similarity of sounds on cues to perceived relative distance.Traditional auditory localization research has focused on the physical aspects of sound, including things like frequency, sound level, and envelope as they relate to perception. Another popular, but entirely different, approach has been ecological in nature focusing more on environmental sounds, like speech, and testing in "real world" conditions with fewer experimental restrictions.The following series of described experiments represents a more balanced approach, incorporating aspects of traditional and ecological investigation into auditory localization. The purpose of the experiments was ultimately to discover whether sounds more similar in conceptual category are more likely to be compared to one another than are dissimilar sounds, and if so, whether existing cues to relative distance between them might be stronger.The first of four experiments presented participants with some environmental sounds.The participants verbally identified each of the sounds.The labels for the most highly identifiable sounds were then placed on note cards.The second experiment involved participants sorting the note cards into conceptual groups/ categories.A categorical analysis yielded sounds falling into same, similar, and different conceptual categories.The third experiment presented these sounds at 10 different sound levels each (from 30 – 84 dBA) to participants who reported “heardâ€Â(perceived) distances for each sound.Functions for perceived distance vs. sound level were analyzed for each sound.Sounds with similar functions were chosen for the fourth and final experiment in which sounds from varying degrees of conceptual category were presented to listeners in pairs.Sounds in each pair also varied in sound level. Some significant effects and interactions were found, but nothing suggesting a systematic effect of conceptual similarity on perceived relative distance in the direction expected.The most useful contribution seems to have been the perceived distance vs. sound level functions created in experiment 3.Suggestions are made for future research directions.