Abstract
Absolute pitch (AP) and autism have recently been associated with each other. Neurocognitive theories of autism could perhaps explain this co-occurrence. This study investigates whether AP musicians show an advantage in an interleaved melody recognition task (IMRT), an auditory version of an embedded figures test often investigated in autism with respect to the these theories. A total of N = 59 professional musicians (AP = 27) participated in the study. In each trial a probe melody was followed by an interleaved sequence. Participants had to indicate as to whether the probe melody was present in the interleaved sequence. Sensitivity index d′ and response bias c were calculated according to signal detection theory. Additionally, a pitch adjustment test measuring fine-graded differences in absolute pitch proficiency, the Autism-Spectrum-Quotient and a visual embedded figures test were conducted. AP outperformed relative pitch (RP) possessors on the overall IMRT and the fully interleaved condition. AP proficiency, visual disembedding and musicality predicted 39.2% of variance in the IMRT. No correlations were found between IMRT and autistic traits. Results are in line with a detailed-oriented cognitive style and enhanced perceptional functioning of AP musicians similar to that observed in autism.
Highlights
One of the most complex functions of the auditory system lays in the ability to disentangle and extract distinct streams (“auditory streaming”) of information out of the mixture of sounds that reach the ear
For the first time we investigated auditory streaming ability[1], an ability closely related to the embedded figures concept from many autism frameworks (e.g. weak central coherence (WCC) theory41,42), in absolute and relative pitch professional musicians
By using an interleaved melody recognition test[2,3], we aimed to explore, if and to what extend the auditory perception of absolute pitch possessors might have a auditory weak central coherence compared to relative pitch possessors[30]
Summary
One of the most complex functions of the auditory system lays in the ability to disentangle and extract distinct streams (“auditory streaming”) of information out of the mixture of sounds that reach the ear (e.g. two interleaved and overlapped melodies played by different instruments in an orchestra or isolating a voice among noise in a crowded room). It is not surprising that musicians in general exhibit an enhanced ability to extract musical streams out of complex interleaved melodies[3], as they belong to a population with far greater than average hearing abilities and knowledge of music theory[51,52]. It remains to be investigated, if AP-possessors differ in auditory streaming from relative pitch possessors. Since the IMRT may serve as an auditory embedded figures test[6,30] it might be helpful to get insight if and to what extend absolute pitch possessors exhibit a similar auditory weak central coherence or detail-oriented perception as autistic people
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