Abstract
37 university students produced ratings of perceived pleasantness on a 7-point scale for the tones of 250 Hz, 750 Hz, 1000 Hz, and 2000 Hz at 60 dbHL and 85 dbHL. A 2 × 2 × 2 × 4 analysis of variance showed a significant over-all preference for the softer (60 db) rather than the louder (85 db) tones and a significant interaction of sex by eye color, such that brown-eyed males found all stimuli less pleasing regardless of intensity than did any of the other groups. A significant three-way interaction for eye color, intensity, and frequency was noted. In the less-liked 85-db situation, blue-eyed subjects inverted the response strategy which they had exhibited at 60 db and which was also typical of brown-eyed subjects at 60 db and 85 db. At 250 Hz, 750 Hz, and 1000 Hz in the 85-db condition, blue-eyed and brown-eyed subjects' ratings differed significantly. Data from another experiment (Patchett, 1979) were added to those of the current study to show that relative preferences varied inversely with absolute hearing thresholds, with increased sensitivity leading to a decrease in perceived pleasantness. Audiographic formants and general melanin theory are invoked as potential explanations for the observed differences.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.