859 research outputs found
Comments on "Tactus ≠Tempo: Some Dissociations Between Attentional Focus, Motor Behavior, and Tempo Judgment" by Justin London
Objective measures of musical tempo are linked to a particular metrical pulse, and this is most likely true for subjective tempo as well. Therefore, tapping along with a rhythm should be predictive of relative tempo judgments. The difficulty of such judgments may lie in the choice of a particular metrical level as the referent. Multiple levels may compete and create ambiguity. Analogies are drawn with pitch perception from certain types of complex tones
Embodied Rhythm: Commentary on "The Contribution of Anthropometric Factors to Individual Differences in the Perception of Rhythm" by Neil P. McAngus Todd, Rosanna Cousins, and Christopher S. Lee
Todd, Cousins, and Lee (2007) have presented some intriguing data
suggesting that body size, as measured by standard anthropometric indices, is related to
the preferred beat period in a perceptual task. Curiously, however, they did not find a
significant sex difference, even though the women in their sample were clearly smaller
than the men. Another recent study of preferred spontaneous tempo (McAuley et al.,
2006) likewise failed to find a sex difference in a large sample of young adults. It is
unclear why body size should have an effect only within each sex group
Measuring perceptual centers using the phase correction response
The perceptual center (P-center) is fundamental to
the timing of heterogeneous event sequences, including music
and speech. Unfortunately, there is currently no comprehensive
and reliable model of P-centers in acoustic events, so P-centers
must instead be measured empirically. This study reviews
existing measurement methods and evaluates two methods in
detail—the rhythm adjustment method and a new method
based on the phase correction response (PCR) in a synchronous
tapping task. The two methods yielded consistent
P-center estimates and showed no evidence of P-center context
dependence. The PCR method appears promising because it is
accurate and efficient and does not require explicit perceptual
judgments. As a secondary result, the magnitude of the PCR is
shown to vary systematically with the onset complexity of
speech sounds,which presumably reflects the perceived clarity
of a sound’s P-center
Analyzing Feshbach resonances -- A Li -Cs case study
We provide a comprehensive comparison of a coupled channels calculation, the
asymptotic bound state model (ABM), and the multichannel quantum defect theory
(MQDT). Quantitative results for Li -Cs are presented and compared
to previously measured Li -Cs Feshbach resonances (FRs) [M. Repp et
al., Phys. Rev. A 87 010701(R) (2013)]. We demonstrate how the accuracy of the
ABM can be stepwise improved by including magnetic dipole-dipole interactions
and coupling to a non-dominant virtual state. We present a MQDT calculation,
where magnetic dipole-dipole and second order spin-orbit interactions are
included. A frame transformation formalism is introduced, which allows the
assignment of measured FRs with only three parameters. All three models achieve
a total rms error of < 1G on the observed FRs. We critically compare the
different models in view of the accuracy for the description of FRs and the
required input parameters for the calculations.Comment: 16 pages, 3 figures, 1 tabl
Influence of a Feshbach resonance on the photoassociation of LiCs
We analyse the formation of ultracold 7Li133Cs molecules in the rovibrational
ground state through photoassociation into the B1Pi state, which has recently
been reported [J. Deiglmayr et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 101, 133004 (2008)].
Absolute rate constants for photoassociation at large detunings from the atomic
asymptote are determined and are found to be surprisingly large. The
photoassociation process is modeled using a full coupled-channel calculation
for the continuum state, taking all relevant hyperfine states into account. The
enhancement of the photoassociation rate is found to be caused by an `echo' of
the triplet component in the singlet component of the scattering wave function
at the inner turning point of the lowest triplet a3Sigma+ potential. This
perturbation can be ascribed to the existence of a broad Feshbach resonance at
low scattering energies. Our results elucidate the important role of couplings
in the scattering wave function for the formation of deeply bound ground state
molecules via photoassociation.Comment: Added Erratum, 20 pages, 9 figure
Categorical tendencies in imitating self-produced isolated vowels.
Abstract. An earlier experiment requlrlng literal imitation of synthetic isolated vowels from [uJ-[iJ and [iJ-[a=J continua (Repp &
A filled duration illusion in music: Effects of metrical subdivision on the perception and production of beat tempo.
This study replicates and extends previous findings suggesting that metrical
subdivision slows the perceived beat tempo (Repp, 2008). Here, musically trained participants produced the
subdivisions themselves and were found to speed up, thus compensating for the
perceived slowing. This was shown in a synchronization-continuation paradigm
(Experiment 1) and in a reproduction task (Experiment 2a). Participants also
judged the tempo of a subdivided sequence as being slower than that of a
preceding simple beat sequence (Experiment 2b). Experiment 2 also included
nonmusician participants, with similar results. Tempo measurements of famous
pianists’ recordings of two variation movements from Beethoven sonatas revealed
a strong tendency to play the first variation (subdivided beats) faster than the
theme (mostly simple beats). A similar tendency was found in musicians’
laboratory performances of a simple theme and variations, despite instruc-tions
to keep the tempo constant (Experiment 3a). When playing melodic sequences in
which only one of three beats per measure was subdivided, musicians tended to
play these beats faster and to perceive them as longer than adjacent beats, and
they played the whole sequence faster than a sequence without any subdivisions
(Experiments 3b and 3c). The results amply demonstrate a filled duration
illusion in rhythm perception and music performance: Intervals
containing events seem longer than empty intervals and thus must be shortened to
be perceived as equal in duration
Cognitive loading affects motor awareness and movement kinematics but not locomotor trajectories during goal-directed walking in a virtual reality environment.
The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of cognitive loading on movement kinematics and trajectory formation during goal-directed walking in a virtual reality (VR) environment. The secondary objective was to measure how participants corrected their trajectories for perturbed feedback and how participants' awareness of such perturbations changed under cognitive loading. We asked 14 healthy young adults to walk towards four different target locations in a VR environment while their movements were tracked and played back in real-time on a large projection screen. In 75% of all trials we introduced angular deviations of ±5° to ±30° between the veridical walking trajectory and the visual feedback. Participants performed a second experimental block under cognitive load (serial-7 subtraction, counter-balanced across participants). We measured walking kinematics (joint-angles, velocity profiles) and motor performance (end-point-compensation, trajectory-deviations). Motor awareness was determined by asking participants to rate the veracity of the feedback after every trial. In-line with previous findings in natural settings, participants displayed stereotypical walking trajectories in a VR environment. Our results extend these findings as they demonstrate that taxing cognitive resources did not affect trajectory formation and deviations although it interfered with the participants' movement kinematics, in particular walking velocity. Additionally, we report that motor awareness was selectively impaired by the secondary task in trials with high perceptual uncertainty. Compared with data on eye and arm movements our findings lend support to the hypothesis that the central nervous system (CNS) uses common mechanisms to govern goal-directed movements, including locomotion. We discuss our results with respect to the use of VR methods in gait control and rehabilitation
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