Dichotic perception of virtual pitch: Dependence on subjective lateral position of partials
W. A. Deutsch, R. Steger · The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America · 1976
Two general principles of pitch perception, analytic mode resulting in spectral pitch and synthetic mode resulting in virtual pitch have been investigated [E. J. Terhardt, Acoust. Soc. Am. 55, 1061–1069 (1974)]. It is assumed that virtual pitch is a product of Gestalt—perception, associated with some kind of learning process. If this concept is valid, it can be distinguished between spectral-pitch listeners (type I) and virtual-pitch listeners (type II). Complex tones consisting of components (a) 220, 330, 440, 550, and 660 Hz presented to the left ear and 550 and 660 Hz to the right ear were followed by (b) 200, 300, 400, 500, and 600 Hz left and 200, 400, and 600 right, which fused partially. The subjects were asked to decide whether pitch (a) or (b) was higher. Type I listeners responded (b) due to the spectral pitch of the corresponding lateral positions of the partials in the head, whereas type II listeners responded (a) referring to the missing fundamental of 110 Hz. In a second run the subjects were asked to pay specific attention to the different lateral positions too and again type I listeners differed from type II. The results are discussed in terms of Gestalt—rules and theory of pitch perception. [Work supported by AKG, Vienna.]