Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Which Direction Is up for a High Pitch?

Michael J Carnevale, Laurence R Harris

    Multisensory Research
    |June 18, 2016
    PubMed
    Summary

    Auditory pitch influences spatial orientation. Experiments show that while low and high tones don't directly cue upright, they bias self-orientation perception, particularly along the body's axis.

    Related Concept Videos

    You might also read

    Related Articles

    Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

    Sort by
    Same author

    Differences in perceived travel distance from central versus peripheral optic flow are the same when standing and walking.

    PloS one·2026
    Same author

    How the characteristics of a virtual environment affects the perception of travel distance through it.

    PloS one·2026
    Same author

    Feasibility and impact of virtual reality exposure therapy on epilepsy-specific anxiety: Phase 3 of the AnxEpiVR pilot clinical trial.

    Epilepsy & behavior reports·2026
    Same author

    Failure to replicate the Aubert-Fleischl effect.

    PloS one·2025
    Same author

    Audio-Visual Integration in 3D Space Near the Body.

    Multisensory research·2025
    Same author

    Can visual acceleration evoke a sensation of tilt?

    Experimental brain research·2025

    Area of Science:

    • Auditory perception
    • Spatial orientation
    • Human psychophysics

    Background:

    • Auditory pitch is perceptually linked to visuospatial elevation.
    • The precise spatial frames of reference for this pitch-elevation association are not fully understood.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • Investigate if auditory pitch (low/high tones) can serve as a spatial cue for self-orientation.
    • Determine the spatial reference frames involved in binding auditory pitch to visuospatial 'up' and 'down'.

    Main Methods:

    • Experiment 1: Measured perceptual upright (PU) in participants lying on their side, with/without sounds near ears.
    • Experiment 2: Assessed biasing effects of ascending/descending tones on ambiguous visual motion perception in upright and side-lying participants.

    Main Results:

    • Low/high tones were ineffective as direct spatial cues for upright in Experiment 1.
    • Ascending/descending tones biased visual motion interpretation along both gravitational vertical and body axis in Experiment 2, with a stronger effect along the body axis.

    Conclusions:

    • Auditory pitch influences self-orientation, primarily along the body's long axis.
    • The findings support the concept that 'high' and 'low' sounds are perceived relative to an axis aligned with the perceptual upright.

    Related Experiment Videos