Pitch-->small (Bruce Walker )

Subject: Pitch-->small
From:    Bruce Walker  <walkerb(at)RUF.RICE.EDU>
Date:    Thu, 31 Aug 2000 23:22:09 -0500

Paul,

In my dissertation I used magnitude estimation to scale physical
dimensions of sounds (e.g., frequency, tempo) to "conceptual" data
dimensions (e.g., temprature, pressure, SIZE).

It turns out that the listeners produced power functions in every case,
and for the frequency-->size mapping the function was negative. That is,
increasing frequency (call it pitch if you wish) maps onto DECREASING
size. Ecologically speaking, not surprising: small bells ring with high
frequencies, large bells ring with low frequencies.

Regards,
--Bruce


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bruce Walker  (PC86-88)    Rice University Psychology Department
email: walkerb(at)rice.edu        6100 Main St., Houston, TX, 77005
ph: (713) 522-2969 (home)                (713) 348-3772 (office)
http://www.owlnet.rice.edu/~walkerb         (713) 348-5221 (fax)
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