Apparent duration and numerosity as a function of melodic familiarity

Abstract

Measurements of the apparent duration, numerosity, familiarity, predictability, and organization of musical sequences were obtained to resolve conflicting claims about the effects of stimulus variables on duration judgments and to assess whether subjective number is an effective mediating variable underlying duration judgments. Intervals filled with perceptually familiar, organized, and predictable sequences of musical notes were judged by verbal estimation and, in most cases, by magnitude estimation to be longer and to have more notes than their perceptually unfamiliar reverse counterparts. The relationship between perceived and physical duration or number is consistent with Stevens's law, with exponents typical of reported values. Temporal and numerosity exponents derived from verbal estimates, but not from magnitude estimates, were higher for familiar, organized, and predictable sequences, but only when sequences were not paired with their reverse counterparts. Exponents and intercepts were not independent, but were inversely related; both may be needed to describe the duration and numerosity data. © 1987 Psychonomic Society, Inc.