Continuous Magnitude Production of Loudness

Continuous magnitude estimation and continuous cross-modality matching with line length can efficiently track the momentary loudness of time-varying sounds in behavioural experiments. These methods are known to be prone to systematic biases but may be checked for consistency using their counterpart, magnitude production. Thus, in Experiment 1, we performed such an evaluation for time-varying sounds. Twenty participants produced continuous cross-modality matches to assess the momentary loudness of fourteen songs by continuously adjusting the length of a line. In Experiment 2, the resulting temporal line length profile for each excerpt was played back like a video together with the given song and participants were asked to continuously adjust the volume to match the momentary line length. The recorded temporal line length profile, however, was manipulated for segments with durations between 7 to 12 s by eight factors between 0.5 and 2, corresponding to expected differences in adjusted level of −10, −6, −3, −1, 1, 3, 6, and 10 dB according to Stevens’s power law for loudness. The average adjustments 5 s after the onset of the change were −3.3, −2.4, −1.0, −0.2, 0.2, 1.4, 2.4, and 4.4 dB. Smaller adjustments than predicted by the power law are in line with magnitude-production results by Stevens and co-workers due to “regression effects.” Continuous cross-modality matches of line length turned out to be consistent with current loudness models, and by passing the consistency check with cross-modal productions, demonstrate that the method is suited to track the momentary loudness of time-varying sounds.

Psychophysical Measures of Intensity

Luce’s theory of semiorders resolve a problem with just noticeable differences - intransitivity of equality. Bisection measurement gives an alternative approach. This is related to Ramsey’s representation theorem for probability and utility. Stevens’ indirect magnitude production method can be given a rigorous analysis. Torgerson’s experiments suggest that subjects cannot distinguish between estimating equal intervals and equal ratios. Problems of cross-modality matching are explored.

Internal References in Cross-modal Matching: A Global Psychophysical Perspective

Cross-modal matching builds upon our ability to compare intensities across modalities. For example, we can easily match the brightness of a visual stimulus to the loudness of a tone, and vice versa. The regression effect in cross-modal matching relates to the observation that the intensity of whatever stimulus is adjusted exhibits a tendency toward some mean magnitude, which is interpreted as serving as an internal reference. Internal references, however, are not part of classical psychophysical theory in the tradition of Stevens, but form a key ingredient for the theory of global psychophysics initiated by R. Duncan Luce. The present paper extends and generalizes Luce's theory of what he called cross-dimensional magnitude production (Luce et al., 2010, Psychological Review, 117, 1247-1258) to integrate potentially role-dependent internal references (pertaining to the standard, or the adjusted stimulus) as suggested by the regression effect. The attribute cross-dimensional is more comprehensive than cross-modal, because it also includes intra-modal tasks where stimuli differ in an additional dimension (e.g., loudness of tones of different frequency). Reevaluating the available empirical evidence for magnitude production and matching experiments on the basis of these theoretical developments leads to a coherent picture. The results support role-dependence of internal references in cross-dimensional tasks (intra- or cross-modal), but clearly reject it in intra-dimensional tasks. Moreover, predictions derived from the generalized theory provide a close fit of classical data on cross-modal matching. Further directions for empirical as well as theoretical research are highlighted.

The listener's temperament and perceived tempo and loudness of music

The relationship between the listener's temperament and perceived magnitude of tempo and loudness of music was studied using the techniques of magnitude production, magnitude estimation scaling and cross‐modal matching. Four piano pieces were presented at several levels of tempo and loudness. In Study 1, participants adjusted tempo and loudness of music to their subjective level of comfort. In Study 2, participants estimated these parameters on a numerical scale and matched the length of a line segment to the estimates of these musical features. The results showed significant correlations of selected aspects of perceived tempo with perseveration and endurance as well as of selected aspects of perceived loudness with endurance and emotional reactivity. Perceived tempo and loudness, as measured by magnitude production and cross‐modal matching tasks, do not seem to systematically correlate with the six formal characteristics of behaviour distinguished in the most recent version of the Regulative Theory of Temperament (RTT). Additionally, there is some evidence that they are selectively associated with reactivity and activity, the dimensions of a previous version of the RTT. The study extends the methodology of research on music preferences and the stimulatory value of music. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Midlatency respiratory-related somatosensory activity and perception of oral pressure pulses in normal humans

A direct relationship exists within subjects between midlatency features (<100 ms poststimulus) of respiratory-related evoked potentials and the perceived magnitude of applied oral pressure pulse stimuli. We evaluated perception in 18 normal subjects using cross-modality matching of applied pressure pulses via grip force and estimated mechanoafferent activity in these subjects by computing the global field power (GFP) from respiratory-related evoked potentials recorded over the right side of the scalp. We compared across subjects 1) the predicted magnitude production for a standard pressure pulse and 2) the slope (β) and 3) the intercept (INT) of the Stevens power law to the summed GFP over 20–100 ms poststimulus. Both the magnitude production for a standard pressure pulse and the β showed an inverse relationship with the summed GFP over 20–100 ms poststimulus, although there was no relationship between INT and the summed GFP. This may partially reflect characteristics of the mechanosensors and surely includes aspects of cognitive judgment, because we found and corrected for a high correlation between, respectively, β (and INT) for pressure pulses and β (and INT) for estimation of line lengths, a nonrespiratory modality. The relatively shallow, even inverse GFP-to-perception relationship suggests that, despite marked differences in the magnitude of afferent traffic, normal subjects seem to perceive things similarly.

Repeatability of Magnitude Production in Isometric, Hand-Grip Force Estimation: A Working-Memory Approach

Magnitude production has been used in ergonomics research to quantify hand-grip and finger-pinch force exertions. The repeatability of this psychophysical method may be affected by a memory component if the subject must recall multiple, previously performed force exertions. This investigation tested the hypothesis that the number of different to-be-remembered hand-grip force exertions would affect the repeatability of force productions obtained via magnitude production for 12 male students. Four levels of force were examined (20%, 35%, 50%, and 65% of subject's individual maximum) at low and high memory loads (two versus four forces to be remembered concurrently). Amount of force had a significant effect on the variance among a sample of five observations; however, memory load showed no effect on the variance measure. Thus, it is concluded that four forces do not pose a significantly greater memory load than two forces for perceived force in hand-grip magnitude productions.