Name:Connor Wessel

School/Affiliation:McMaster University

Co-Authors:Cindy Zhang, Michael Schutz

Virtual or In-person:In-person

Abstract:

The extensive literature on duration assessment generally uses tones with clear onsets and offsets. However, simplistic sounds can fail to evoke the same processes used when listening to sounds with time varying amplitude envelopes (Schutz & Gillard, 2020). To facilitate future research, here we explore the ratio where constant amplitude ‘flat’ and varying amplitude ‘percussive’ tones are equivalent in perceived duration. We recruited five graduate students to take part in ten 1-hour sessions of an adaptive staircase in which participants indicated which of a pair of tones sounded longer for each trial. We either presented tones of the same envelope (homogenous) or tones of different envelopes (heterogenous). Each response changed the duration difference on subsequent trials, continuing until “convergence” defined observing four consecutive reversals within a staircase. We then calculated point of subjective equality (PSE) between flat and percussive tones by taking the average point of convergence between multiple staircases. Participants landed on an average ratio of 1 in the homogenous condition, and 1.47 in the heterogenous condition. Variance within and between participants in the homogenous condition was low, suggesting indicating success of the paradigm in capturing duration perception. Variance within participants was slightly higher for the heterogenous condition, but considerably more between participants. Ratios remained stable across different duration magnitudes, suggesting adherence to Weber’s Law. From this, we provide guidance on stimulus durations for studies comparing amplitude envelope, and on envelope-specific mechanisms of duration perception.