The interaction of modality condition and presentation rate in short-term contour recognition

Abstract

Using a short-term recognition technique, musically experienced and musically inexperienced subjects indicated whether or not the contour of a probe, consisting of a sequence of six tones (auditory) or of a marker changing positions on each of six vertical lines (visual), was the same as that of an auditory or visual target presented just before. Thus there were four modality conditions: auditory target-auditory probe (A-A), auditory target-visual probe (A-V), visual target-auditory probe CV-A), and visual target-visual probe (V-V). All subjects were tested at five different presentation rates: 1/10, 1/4, 1/2, 1, and 2 sec per note/position. For the A-V, V-A, and V-V conditions, recognition accuracy increased as presentation rate became slower. However, for purely auditory recognition (A-A), accuracy increased more slowly (for musically experienced subjects) or not at all (for inexperienced ones). This interaction of modality condition and rate is discussed in terms of its implications for the abstraction of contour from melody. © 1986 Psychonomic Society, Inc.