Abstract
The methodology derived from the trace-context theory of intensity
resolution (Durlach and Braida, 1969; Macmillan et al., 1988) was
applied to resolution over an octave range along two continua: a
sequential-frequency-ratio continuum for possessors of relative pitch
(RP), and a pure-tone frequency continuum for possessors of absolute
pitch (AP). The performance of both RP and AP possessors was exceptional
in that total identification sensitivity along both continua was
much greater than identification sensitivity along unidimensional
psychophysical continua characterized by the 7 +/- 2 rule. In addition,
the performance of RP possessors was exceptional in that, on average,
total sensitivity for identification resolution was greater than
sensitivity for resolution in discrimination. Finally, identification
sensitivity between category prototypes (chromatic semits) along
both continua was approximately the same as identification sensitivity
between phonemic category prototypes along speech continua, despite
the fact that both the discrimination ranges and the total number
of categories are much larger for the two pitch continua.
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