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A text-book of experimental psychology.On auditory sensations.

A text-book of experimental psychology.: On auditory sensations. The Physical Basis of Pitch and Loudness.—In general, our auditory sensations are due to the occurrence of sound waves in the external air. These waves vary in length, in amplitude, and in form. Other things being equal, the shorter the wave length (i.e. the greater the vibration frequency) the higher in pitch will be the auditory sensation ; and the greater the amplitude (i.e. the more distant the crest or trough of a wave from the position of equilibrium) the louder or more intense will be the auditory sensation. But these relations are only broadly true. For, as we shall see, the pitch and the loudness of our sensations do not always correspond to the wave length and the amplitude of the objective stimuli. The Conduction of Sounds to the Inner Ear.—Sounds which are of moderate pitch and loudness are led to the inner ear by the membranes and ossicles of the middle ear. It has been experimentally shown that the ossicles vibrate with a frequency dependent on the vibration frequency of the sound stimulus, and that they must consequently be regarded, not as a fixed conducting rod, but as a jointed, freely vibrating chain. The Conduction of Sounds from Ear to Ear.—Direct bone conduction also occurs when a sounding instrument, e.g. a tuning-fork, is brought in contact with the head or teeth (exp. 15). It is likewise a factor of considerable psychological importance when a sound is led to one ear only (exp. 16); for unless the sound be low in pitch and intensity, it travels to the opposite ear, partly perhaps by way of the two Eustachian tubes across the pharynx, but chiefly over the bony vault and across the base of the skull. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved) http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png

A text-book of experimental psychology.On auditory sensations.

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Publisher
Longmans, Green and Co
Copyright
Copyright © 1909 American Psychological Association
Pages
20 –41
DOI
10.1037/13628-003
Publisher site
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Abstract

The Physical Basis of Pitch and Loudness.—In general, our auditory sensations are due to the occurrence of sound waves in the external air. These waves vary in length, in amplitude, and in form. Other things being equal, the shorter the wave length (i.e. the greater the vibration frequency) the higher in pitch will be the auditory sensation ; and the greater the amplitude (i.e. the more distant the crest or trough of a wave from the position of equilibrium) the louder or more intense will be the auditory sensation. But these relations are only broadly true. For, as we shall see, the pitch and the loudness of our sensations do not always correspond to the wave length and the amplitude of the objective stimuli. The Conduction of Sounds to the Inner Ear.—Sounds which are of moderate pitch and loudness are led to the inner ear by the membranes and ossicles of the middle ear. It has been experimentally shown that the ossicles vibrate with a frequency dependent on the vibration frequency of the sound stimulus, and that they must consequently be regarded, not as a fixed conducting rod, but as a jointed, freely vibrating chain. The Conduction of Sounds from Ear to Ear.—Direct bone conduction also occurs when a sounding instrument, e.g. a tuning-fork, is brought in contact with the head or teeth (exp. 15). It is likewise a factor of considerable psychological importance when a sound is led to one ear only (exp. 16); for unless the sound be low in pitch and intensity, it travels to the opposite ear, partly perhaps by way of the two Eustachian tubes across the pharynx, but chiefly over the bony vault and across the base of the skull. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Published: Feb 13, 2012

Keywords: sound conduction; auditory sensations; vibration frequency; wave length; frequencies; inner ear; sound perception; pitch; loudness; hearing ability; ear mechanisms; bone conduction

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