Related Experiment Videos
Memory for psychophysical scaling judgments
L M Ward1, J Armstrong, N Golestani
1Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, 2136 West Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada. lward@cortex.psych.ubc.ca
Psychonomic Bulletin & Review
|August 30, 2002
Summary
Memory for loudness judgments is accurate for extreme tones but overestimated for moderate ones. This suggests extreme stimuli anchor future judgments, influencing psychophysical scaling and supporting the uncertainty hypothesis of mnemophysics.
Area of Science:
- Psychophysics
- Mnemophysics
- Auditory Perception
Background:
- Psychophysical scaling involves magnitude estimations of stimuli.
- Memory's role in psychophysical judgments is not fully understood.
- The uncertainty hypothesis proposes memory limitations affect judgment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate memory for stimuli and responses in psychophysical scaling.
- To determine how memory distortions affect psychophysical functions.
- To assess the influence of stimulus range memory on judgments.
Main Methods:
- Subjects performed absolute magnitude estimations of pure tone loudnesses.
- Memory for scaling responses and stimulus amplitudes was tested.
- Psychophysical functions were analyzed for judged and recalled data.
Main Results:
- Recall responses were accurate for extreme loudnesses but overestimated for intermediate ones.
- Memory for the stimulus range was accurate, but discrimination between judged and non-judged amplitudes failed.
- Distorted recall functions retained the same power function exponent as judged functions.
Conclusions:
- Extreme stimuli act as anchors, influencing future judgments.
- Memory for extreme stimuli and their responses impacts subsequent scaling.
- Findings align with the uncertainty hypothesis regarding memory in mnemophysics.