Effects of Pulse rate,Fundamental Frequency,and Burst Density on Auditory Similarity

Abstract

Auditory alarms are currently used in medicine, automotive and aviation settings. However, a high degree of variability and lack of standardization may compromise safety if multiple warning sounds are easily confused with each other. Identifying the parameters that are most relevant to auditory similarity will facilitate the development of guidelines that ensure alarms are distinct without requiring standardization. Twenty-seven undergraduate students judged the similarity of a set of abstract sounds varying in pulse rate, fundamental frequency, and burst density. Results indicate that no single parameter was entirely responsible for determining auditory similarity, but temporal characteristics were most salient. These findings suggest that designers intending to ensure perceptual separation between differentially mapped sounds should manipulate temporal characteristics before frequency or burst density.