The effect of sitting and supine postures on the human ear's response to sound as measured by the Tomatis listening test

Abstract: This study was conducted in order to gain a greater understanding of how the human ear responds to sound through investigating the effect of posture on listening. The "Tomatis listening test", which is based on pure-tone audiometric testing, was used as an instrument for measuring listening in two different postures: sitting and supine. A pilot study was done with five subjects to familiarize the experimenter with the equipment and testing procedures. In the main study fifty subjects with normal hearing were tested. Each subject was tested in both sitting and supine postures. The results of the tests were scored using the Tomatis "listening test scoring system" to measure the following seven parameters: 1) threshold, 2) slope, 3) evenness, 4) parellelism, 5) balance, 6) spatialization, 7) selectivity. Scores for each of these parameters and the overall scores (sum of scores for the seven parameters) were compared for the two postures using a t-test for nonindependent samples. There was a statistically significant difference (p < .05) between the two postures for the Evenness parameter, with the audiographic curve showing greater evenness in the sitiing posture than in the supine posture. There was not a statistically significant difference in overall scores and the scores for the other six Tomatis parameters between the sitting and supine postures. Al;though this study showed little difference in the results of the "Tomatis listening test" between the two postures, it addresses only one aspect of the connection between posture and listening. Questions were raised which may lead to other areas of investigation concerning the ways in which human beings are impacted by sound and music. The experience gained through administering the "Tomatis listening test" demonstrated that this test could be a valuable assessment tool in music therapy, providing a unique picture of the way in which a client receives sound. The more that is known concerning each client's response to sound and music, the more effective music therapy can be.

Keyword(s): Posture, ear, sound, Tomatis-listening-test.

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