A new approach to measuring absolute pitch on a psychometric theory of isolated pitch perception: Is it disentangling specific groups or capturing a continuous ability?

Nayana Di Giuseppe Germano,Fausto Coutinho-Lourenço,Graziela Bortz,Hugo Cogo-Moreira,Karl Bang Christensen

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0247473

Abstract

Absolute Pitch (AP) is commonly defined as a rare ability that allows an individual to identify any pitch by name. Most researchers use classificatory tests for AP which tracks the number of isolated correct answers. However, each researcher chooses their own procedure for what should be considered correct or incorrect in measuring this ability. Consequently, it is impossible to evaluate comparatively how the stimuli and criteria classify individuals in the same way. We thus adopted a psychometric perspective, approaching AP as a latent trait. Via the Latent Variable Model, we evaluated the consistency and validity for a measure to test for AP ability. A total of 783 undergraduate music students participated in the test. The test battery comprised 10 isolated pitches. All collected data were analyzed with two different rating criteria (perfect and imperfect) under three Latent Variable Model approaches: continuous (Item Response Theory with two and three parameters), categorical (Latent Class Analysis), and the Hybrid model. According to model fit information indices, the perfect approach (only exact pitch responses as correct) measurement model had a better fit under the trait (continuous) specification. This contradicts the usual assumption of a division between AP and non-AP possessors. Alternatively, the categorical solution for the two classes demonstrated the best solution for the imperfect approach (exact pitch responses and semitone deviations considered as correct).

Highlights

The phenomenon of Absolute Pitch (AP) was first scientifically described by Stumpf [1], it was alluded to much earlier in Mozart’s era [2, 3]
It must be emphasized that we considered the isolated pitch recognition without reference as a latent trait, without the automatic assumption that this ability and the AP ability were the same
The latent approach elucidates the psychometrics features for the measurement of isolated pitch recognition ability in a large-scale evaluation, which can be adopted by future researchers

Summary

Introduction

The phenomenon of Absolute Pitch (AP) was first scientifically described by Stumpf [1], it was alluded to much earlier in Mozart’s era [2, 3]. AP ability has attracted attention from musicians, psychologists, and neuroscientists, leading to a large body of research [4,5,6,7]. AP has not yet been accurately and consensually defined among the academic community [8], leading to significant variations among AP evidence and AP classification.

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Conclusion