Well-Formed Stimuli Lead to Perceptual Asymmetries in Discrimination: Evidence from Musical Chords and Rhythms

Abstract

ABSTRACT In three experiments, listeners heard standard and comparison auditory sequences on each trial and judged whether they were the same or different. In Experiments 1 and 2, the sequences comprised chords (i.e., simultaneous combinations of pure tones) that were familiar (major), less familiar but with no sensory dissonance (diminished), or unfamiliar and dissonant. Performance was better in the major condition than in the other two conditions, but only when the major chord was the standard sequence. When it was the comparison, performance was poor. In Experiment 3, the stimuli were metrical or nonmetrical rhythms comprised of snare-drum beats. A discrimination advantage for metrical sequences was evident when the metrical sequence was the standard pattern but not when it was the comparison. In short, order of presentation determined whether well-formed stimuli facilitated discrimination. Well-formed auditory sequences led to advantages in discrimination when they were the standard (presented first), but this advantage was eliminated when the well-formed sequence was the comparison (presented second).