Harvard Psychological Studies, Volume 1: Containing Sixteen Experimental Investigations from the Harvard Psychological Laboratory.
Science
Harvard Psychological Studies, Volume 1: Containing Sixteen Experimental Investigations from the Harvard Psychological Laboratory.
Psychology, Experimental
The possible variations of absolute rate and of relative intervals
within the series were vastly more numerous than the practical
conditions of experimentation called for. In two directions the
adaptability of the mechanism was found to be restricted. The
durations of the sounds could not be varied as were the intervals
between them, and all questions concerning the results of such
changes were therefore put aside; and, secondly, the hammers and
anvils, though fashioned from the same stuff and turned to identical
shapes and weights, could not be made to ring qualitatively alike; and
these differences, though slight, were sufficiently great to become
the basis of discrimination between successive sounds and of the
recognition upon their recurrence of particular hammer-strokes,
thereby constituting new points of unification for the series of
sounds. When the objective differences of intensity were marked, these
minor qualitative variations were unregarded; but when the stresses
introduced were weak, as in a series composed of 3/8-, 2/8-, 2/8-inch
hammer-falls, they became sufficiently great to confuse or transform
the apparent grouping of the rhythmical series; for a qualitative
difference between two sounds, though imperceptible when comparison is
made after a single occurrence of each, may readily become the
subconscious basis for a unification of the pair into a rhythmical
group when several repetitions of them take place.
In such an investigation as this the qualification of the
subject-observer should be an important consideration. The
susceptibility to pleasurable and painful affection by rhythmical and
arrhythmical relations among successive sensory stimuli varies within
wide limits from individual to individual. It is of equal importance
to know how far consonance exists between the experiences of a variety
of individuals. If the objective conditions of the rhythm experience
differ significantly from person to person it is useless to seek for
rhythm forms, or to speak of the laws of rhythmical sequence.
Consensus of opinion among a variety of participators is the only
foundation upon which one can base the determination of objective
forms of any practical value. It is as necessary to have many subjects
as to have good ones. In the investigation here reported on, work
extended over the two academic years of 1898-1900. Fourteen persons in
all took part, whose ages ranged from twenty-three to thirty-nine
years. Of these, five were musically trained, four of whom were also
possessed of good rhythmic perception; of the remaining nine, seven
were good or fair subjects, two rather poor. All of these had had
previous training in experimental science and nine were experienced
subjects in psychological work.
II. THE ELEMENTARY CONDITIONS OF THE APPEARANCE OF THE RHYTHM
IMPRESSION.
The objective conditions necessary to the arousal of an impression of
rhythm are three in number: (_a_) Recurrence; (_b_) Accentuation;
(_c_) Rate.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account