Hisao Miyano

A Multidimensional Evaluation Method for the Psychological Effects of Pure Tones at Low and Infrasonic Frequencies

Subjective ratings of pure tones at low and infrasonic (3–40 Hz) were obtained on a set of semantic-differential-type scales and were analysed by factor analysis. From the results, it was concluded that there are three main factors in the human response to the stimulus sound, these are 1) sound pressure, 2) vibration, and 3) loudness. In order to predict the human responses from the physical variables of the sound stimuli, prediction equations were derived for each of the three factors. Also, equal sensation contours for the factors were obtained. From these results, a new evaluation method for the psychological effects is proposed, which considers the multidimensional aspects of human perception at loww and infrasonic frequencies.

Multidimensional Scaling of Computer-generated Abstract Forms

We tried to find perceptual attributes of perceived forms and to construct a “perceived-form space” like a perceived-color space, applying a nonmetric individual-differences multidimensional scaling (MDS) technique. Three experiments were conducted on computer-generated abstract forms, varying the frequency and amplitude of sinusoidal or chopping wave superimposed on a circle and the random modulation in the local frequency and amplitude of the waveform. The results of MDS indicated consistently three dimensions, complexity, regularity and curvedness, corresponding to the frequency, the smallness of the random modulation, and the curvature of the waveform, respectively, with high squared Rs. The results of Semantic Differential were highly correlated with the results of MDS.

Effects of serotonin transporter gene polymorphism on mood during the period before the competition in Japanese ballet dancers

We investigated whether serotonin transporter gene linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) can predict mood state in Japanese ballet dancers, when they are placed under psychological pressure. Participants were 25 elite student ballet (Elite) dancers with future potential and 19 pro-ballet (Pro) dancers. We administered two psychological questionnaires (STAI: State-Trait Anxiety Inventory; BRUMS: Brunel Mood Scale) to the participants on a typical day and on one of stressful days. The frequency of the 5-HTTLPR genotype in the dancers was as follows: s/s, 64.7%; s/l, 35.3%; l/l, 0%. There was only significant difference in STAI scores on before-competition between s/s and s/l genotypes. In this study, the Trait-Anxiety scores of Elite dancers were significantly higher than those of the Pro dancers (p<0.028). The main effects were significant of genotypes in the BRUMS scores (P<0.035) and of Pro/Elite groups (P<0.002); the 5-HTTLPR has played a certain role in the background of state-trait anxiety, and the psychological test scores were strongly influenced by occupational factors. We can predict the status of BRUMS before the competition by examining the Trait-Anxiety in Elite. Dance level (Elite versus Pro) appears to have far more robust effects on dancer mental status than does 5-HTTLPR genotype.

A Note on Identification and Similarity Models

New identification and similarity models are derived from a unified viewpoint based on maximum information entropy principle. Relationships among new models and some existing models, especially Ashby’s general recognition theory (GRT) model, are also clarified.