Selecting one of two regular sound sequences: perceptual and motor effects of tempo

This study assessed the influence of tempo on selecting a sound sequence. In Exp. 1, synchronization with one of the two regular subsequences in a complex sequence was measured. 30 participants indicated a preference for the fastest subsequence when subsequences were in a slow tempo range (> or = 500 msec. IOI), and with the slower subsequence when they were in the fast tempo range (< or = 300 msec. IOI). These results were replicated using a perceptual task (Exp. 2 and 3) in which the 30 listeners had to detect a temporal irregularity in one of the two subsequences. Detection was better when the temporal irregularity was in the fastest subsequence than in the slowest one when the complex sequence was in a slow tempo range (> or = 500 msec. IOI) and the reverse was obtained when the complex sequence was in a fast tempo range (< or = 180 msec. IOI). These results have implications for design of auditory alarms.