MODULATED FREQUENCY DISCRIMINATION IN RELATIONSHIP TO AGE AND MUSICAL TRAINING

The purpose of the study was to test auditory discrimination of a modulated frequency. Two hundred subjects participated in the study representing second graders, fifth graders, eighth graders, eleventh graders, college non music majors (juniors), junior music majors, graduate music students, and School of Music faculty, respectively. The stimulus frequency was Fâ (369.99 Hz), which was presented to subjects individually in 15 randomized 30 sec trials in three catagories: (1) without frequency alteration; (2) ascendingly; and (3) descendingly. Modulation for the ascending and descending tones was 2 cents/sec during the last 25 sec of the stimulus tone. Results of the study indicate that: (1) Auditory discrimination is partially a function of age as well as of music training; (2) comparatively, younger subjects respond to tonal stimuli “incorrectly and sharp” while older subjects evidence “better discrimination while demonstrating a proclivity toward flatness”; (3) perception of the modulated frequency is best during the first 5 sec (10 cents) of frequency change; and (4) auditory tests that attempt to assess discrimination should control for guessing as well as for directional, i.e., up down, propensities. © 1969, Acoustical Society of America. All rights reserved.