A theory of three-dimensional auditory perception

Abstract

A theory of auditory dimensions regarding temporal perception is proposed on the basis of the results found from a series of experiments conducted. In all experiments, relationships were investigated between the subjective judgments and the factors extracted from the autocorrelation function (ACF) of the auditory stimuli. The factors were changed by using different properties of pure-tone, complex-tone, white-noise and bandpass-noise stimuli. Experiments by paired-comparison method were conducted in the sound proof chamber except for one in a concert hall. Human subjects were asked to compare the durations of the two successive stimuli in the pair. Subjective durations were obtained in the psychometric function. Auditory stimuli were selected to use on the basis of the measured factors of ACF as parameters. Obtained results showed significant correlation between the factors of ACF and the subjective durations described well by the theory. The theory indicates loudness and pitch as two fundamental dimensions and whether the third one is the duration of the stimuli.