Identification of microtonal melodies: Effects of scale-step size,serial order,and training

The perception of microtonal scales was investigated in a melodic identification task. In each trial, eight pure tones, equally-spaced in log frequency in the vicinity of 700 Hz, were presented in one of nine different serial orders. There were two experiments, each with 108 trials (six scales [tone sets] × nine serial orders × two repetitions). In each experiment, 30 subjects, half of whom were musically trained, were asked to match each melody to one of 9 visual representations (frequency-time grids). In Experiment 1, the six scales were spaced at intervals of 25, 33, 50, 67, 100, and 133 cents (100 cents=1 semitone ≈6% of frequency). Performance was worse for scale steps of 25 and 33 cents than it was for wider scale steps. There were no significant effects at other intervals, including the interval of 100 cents, implying that melodic pattern identification is unaffected by long-term experience of music in 12-tone equally tempered tuning (e.g., piano music). In Experiment 2, the six scales were spaced at smaller intervals, of 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, and 60 cents. Performance for the three narrower scale steps was worse than that for the three wider scale steps. For some orders, performance for the narrowest scale step (10 cents) did not exceed chance. The smallest practical scale step for short microtonal melodies in a pattern-identification task was estimated as being 10–20 cents for chance performance, and 30–40 cents for asymptotic performance.     

The Impact of Different Forms of #fitspiration Imagery on Body Image,Mood, and Self-Objectification among Young Women

The present study experimentally examined the impact of different forms of inspirational fitness images (“fitspiration”) on women’s body image. Australian female participants (n = 152, 17–30 years-old; M _age = 21.55, SD = 3.94) were randomly assigned to view fitspiration media which depicted the body in a functional (performing exercise) or non-functional (posed) way, with or without accompanying appearance-focused text. There were no main effects of image type or text presence for body satisfaction, mood, or state self-objectification. However, state body satisfaction decreased and negative mood increased over time following exposure to the fitspiration images. Trait self-objectification moderated the impact of image type and text on state body satisfaction, such that viewing functional images presented with appearance-focused text resulted in poorer body satisfaction for women with higher trait self-objectification, but not for those with lower self-objectification. The findings demonstrate that irrespective of focus or presence of text, exposure to fitspiration images decreases body satisfaction and increases negative mood, highlighting the potential negative consequences of engaging with fitspiration media.     

Exploring In-Session Process with Qualitative and Quantitative Methods in Psychotherapy with an Adolescent

ABSTRACT

There is emerging evidence for the effect of psychotherapy in adolescents with depression. Research indicates that therapists often use techniques from different theoretical models when working with adults. Research on the therapy process in adolescents is scarce. We explore the therapist’s interventions in a time-limited psychodynamic adolescent therapy with Susanna suffering from major depression. Susanna quite suddenly became worse at mid-treatment, with self-harming and suicidal ideations. Rating scales for analyzing in-session relational processes included the Structural Analysis of Social Behavior (SASB), the Adolescent Psychotherapy Q-set (APQ), and the Transference Work Scale (TWS). Self-reports on symptoms, interpersonal problems, and working alliance were obtained before, during, and at the end of and one year after treatment. Different tools seemed to expose different aspects of the process and the patient’s development. Only patient-rated questionnaires revealed the mid-treatment crises. Combining different and pan-theoretical rating scales on here-and-now interventions (TWS and SASB) and whole sessions (APQ), as well as clinician-rated measures and a variety of self-reports, indicated that different psychotherapeutic techniques were integrated in the therapy and seemed beneficial to patient’s outcome. The therapist adhered to the treatment manual. This way of exploring the therapy process may be used for different treatment modalities.     

Recognition of transposed melodic sequences

Accuracy of recognition for short (three-note) transposed melodic sequences was measured and compared with accuracy predicted by three models of recognition each of which described a different degree of abstraction and synthesis of the musical intervals contained in the sequence. For subjects with musical training, recognition was best described by a model that assumed abstraction and synthesis of the musical intervals between both adjacent and non-adjacent tones of the sequence. For subjects without musical training, recognition was much less accurate but there was some evidence that intervals between adjacent tones were abstracted. Of major theoretical interest, however, was the finding that none of the models provided a comprehensive account of the data. Not merely the size of the intervals contained in a sequence determines accuracy of recognition of the sequence, but also the order or configuration of the intervals. It is suggested that particular interval configurations facilitate the abstraction of tonal structure.     

Antwort auf eine Frage von Hollitscher innerhalb einer Diskussion

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

NeXT in the psychology laboratory: An example of an auditory pattern tracking task

The NeXT computer system is a relatively new, inexpensive, 68040-based computer with high computational power, storage, graphics, audio, and other capabilities. The present article examines the effectiveness of the NeXT for studies of auditory sequential memory. In these studies, subjects track the time of occurrence of a sequence of tones, using a mouse that controls the position of sliders represented on the computer screen interface. This interface allows the subject to represent the different sounds on the y-axis and the time of their occurrence on the x-axis. The computer produces random orders of stimulus sequences, provides feedback, and stores and transforms accuracy and response time data from the slider positions for subsequent analysis. A tutorial for the development of this interface and its variations is provided. As well, procedures for programming the experiment and the operation of the interface are described, accompanied by a frank account of issues surrounding development and management. It is concluded that high-quality sound and ease of both graphics interface design and program modification make NeXT an attractive option for research on auditory sequential order, promising much for further applications as well. Successful use of the NeXT, however, demands much from technical personnel for both programming and system management.     

Working Memory in the Processing of Long-Distance Dependencies: Interference and Filler Maintenance

During the temporal delay between the filler and gap sites in long-distance dependencies, the “active filler” strategy can be implemented in two ways: the filler phrase can be actively maintained in working memory (“maintenance account”), or it can be retrieved only when the parser posits a gap (“retrieval account”). The current study tested whether filler content is maintained during the processing of dependencies. Using a self-paced reading paradigm, we compared reading times on a noun phrase (NP) between the filler and gap sites in object relative clauses, to reading times on an NP between the antecedent and ellipsis sites in ellipsis sentences. While in the former type of dependency a filler by hypothesis can be maintained, in the latter there is no indication for the existence of a dependency prior to the ellipsis site, and hence no maintenance. By varying the amount of similarity-based interference between the antecedent and integration sites, we tested the influence of holding an unresolved dependency on reading times. Significantly increased reading times due to interference were found only in the object relative condition, and not in the ellipsis condition, demonstrating filler maintenance costs. The fact that these costs were measured as an effect on similarity-based interference indicates that the maintained representation of the filler must include at least some of the features shared by the interfering NP.     

Situational influences on ethical sensemaking: Performance pressure,interpersonal conflict,and the recipient of consequences

Multiple situational influences are often present in organizational ethical dilemmas. This article explores the influences of recipient of the consequence, performance pressure, and interpersonal conflict on sensemaking processes, metacognitive reasoning strategies, and decision ethicality. Results suggest that decision ethicality is greater when individuals are the recipients of consequences. In addition, individuals analyzed causes of the dilemma to a greater extent when faced with low interpersonal conflict and when consequences occurred at an individual level. Individuals in the low interpersonal conflict condition anticipated consequences, looked within, and considered others more than those in the high interpersonal conflict condition. Additional research on performance pressure is needed given that the manipulation used in this study was not effective. Implications for theory and practice of ethics in organizational settings are discussed.