The time course of recognition of novel melodies

Author(s): Kwak, S. Y., Andrews, M. W.

Journal/Book: Percept Psychophys. 1995; 57: 1710 Fortview Rd, Austin, TX 78704. Psychonomic Soc Inc. 136-149.

Abstract: Seven experiments explored the time course of recognition of brief novel melodies. In a continuous-running-memory task, subjects recognized melodic transpositions following delays up to 2.0 min. The delays were either empty or filled with other melodies. Test items included exact transpositions CT), same-contour lures (SC) with altered pitch intervals, and different-contour lures (DC). DCs differed from Ts in the pattern of ups and downs of pitch. With this design, we assessed subjects' discrimination of detailed changes in pitch intervals (T/SC discrimination) as well as their discrimination of contour changes CT/DC). We used both artificial and ''real'' melodies. Artificial melodies differed in conformity to a musical key, being tonal or atonal. After empty delays, T/DC discrimination was superior to T/SC discrimination. Surprisingly, after filled delays, T/SC discrimination was superior to T/DC. When only filled delays were tested, T/SC discrimination did not decline over the longest delays. T/DC performance declined more than did T/SC performance across both empty and filled delays. Tonality was an important factor only for T/SC discrimination after filled delays. T/DC performance was better with rhythmically intact folk melodies than with artificial isochronous melodies. Although T/SC performance improved over filled delays, it did not overtake T/DC performance. These results suggest that (1) contour and pitch-interval information make different contributions to recognition, with contour dominating performance after brief empty delays and pitch intervals dominating after longer filled delays; (2) a coherent tonality facilitates the encoding of pitch-interval patterns of melodies; and (3) the rich melodic-rhythmic contours of real melodies facilitate T/DC discrimination. These results are discussed in terms of automatic and controlled processing of melodic information.

Note: Article WJ Dowling, Univ Texas, Richardson, TX USA

Keyword(s): PITCH; MEMORY; PERCEPTION; ATTENTION; CONTOUR; DELAYS; . Adult ; Psychoacoustics ; Retention Psychology. Attention ; Music ; Pitch Perception; Recall. Female; Human; Male

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