The effects of culture, environment, age, and musical training on choices of visual metaphors for sound

Studies involving acts of auditory perception are usually concerned with scaling or categorization of stimuli. Cross-modal studies, consequently, involve matching estimations of stimulus magnitude or category across modalities. The present study was concerned with auditory stimulus differentiation among four acoustic parameters (frequency, waveform, amplitude, and duration) and selection of visual metaphors for each. Previous studies had indicated the following crossmodal matchings: frequency with vertical placement, waveform with pattern, amplitude with size, and duration with horizontal length. A total of 838 subjects of varying ages and cultural, environmental, and musical backgrounds were tested by means of an instrument developed from previous studies of this type. No type of visual metaphor other than those listed was significantly supported in the subjects’ responses. Consistency of choice was determined predominantly by musical training. Age was also a factor, although to a lesser extent, and cultural and environmental effects were observed in subjects with less exposure to Western life-styles.

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