Just noticeable differences for pitch height and pitch contour for Chinese and American listeners

Abstract

Previous studies suggest that Chinese listeners may be more sensitive to pitch direction while American listeners primarily attend to pitch height. The present study sought to establish JNDs for pitch discrimination using a three-interval, forced-choice procedure with a two-down, one-up staircase design (cf. Liu, JASA 2013). We manipulated a high rising and a high falling Mandarin tone produced by a female speaker. Specifically, for pitch height, a standard contour rising from 200 Hz at tone onset to 230 Hz at tone offset was paired with deviants that were parallel to the standard but started (and ended) at lower and higher f0 values (onsets ranging from 185 to 215 Hz in 1 Hz steps). Likewise, a standard contour falling from 200 Hz at tone onset to 170 Hz at tone offset was paired with parallel deviants whose onsets ranged from 215 to 185 Hz. For pitch direction, standard rising and falling contours were paired with deviants with either steeper or shallower slopes, again varying in 1 Hz steps. Results ind...