Psychoacoustic manipulation of the sound-induced illusory flash

Abstract

Psychological research on cross-modal auditory-visual perception has focused on the manipulation of sensory information predominantly by visual information. There are relatively few studies of the way auditory stimuli may affect other sensory information. The Sound-induced Illusory Flash is one illusory paradigm that involves the auditory system biasing other senses. However, little is known about the cross-modal illusion. More research is needed into the structure of the illusion that investigates the different conditions under which the Sound-induced Illusory Flash manifests and is enhanced or reduced. The experiment reported here investigates the effect of new auditory stimulus variables on the Sound-induced Illusory Flash. The variables to be discussed concern forming a contrast in the auditory stimulus to emphasise the illusory percept. The auditory contrasts used were single pitched beeps versus those alternating in pitch by an octave, and the presentation of sound monaurally versus binaurally. The ultimate aim is to develop the illusory effect as a basis for new intermedia techniques and creative applications for the temporal manipulation and spatialisation of visual objects. © 2008 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.