Correlation of Auditory and Visual Autokinetic Effects

Abstract

This study involved an investigation of the relationships between visual and auditory autokinetic phenomena. An apparatus was designed to obtain quantifiable records of the perceived auditory autokinetic loudness and pitch effects. Several methods were devised to score these records. When the auditory and visual autokinetic scores were correlated, all of the obtained coefficients were positive, four correlations were significant at the .05 level (only one was expected by chance), and one correlation at the .01 level. Some associated unanswered questions were discussed to indicate certain problems for future investigation. The statistical analyses indicated a tentative affirmation of the hypothesis that both the auditory and visual autokinetic phenomena are to a significant extent determined by a central, relatively stable perceptual style. The relationship of this perceptual style to other stable character traits has been suggested by Voth and Mayman (18). They have reviewed some of the major dichotomous character typologies (e.g., extroversion-introversion, field dependent-field independent, etc.) in relation to the visual autokinetic effect. Although further discussion of these aspects is beyond the scope of this paper, Voth and Mayman propose psychotherapeutic as well as heuristic significance to their findings which future study may further validate.

Autokinetic phenomenon: A critical review.

“…McKi trick (196S) found little relationship between autokinesis and body activity, reversible figures, and visual figural aftereffects. Anderson (1965), however, found a tendency for cross-modal positive correlation between various measures of auditory and visual autokinesis. Farrow, Santos, Haines, and Solley (1965) found that latency of autokinesis decreased with practice under both massed and spaced conditions of practice.…”

Magnitude estimates of rotational velocity during and following prolonged increasing, constant, and zero angular acceleration.

“…Autokinesis is one of many of these effects. Although visual autokinesis has been studied most extensively, autokinetic movement has been reported for auditory and tactual stimuli (Anderson, 1965;Spigel, 1965). Reports of rotation in the absence of angular acceleration are well known to investigators of the perception of rotation, but no systematic investigations of such autokinetic movements have been found.…”

Effect of acoustics on auditory and visual autokinesis

“…In a similar study by Anderson & Moss (1964), auditory movement was observed by 28 of the 36 Ss. Anderson (1965) also investigated correlational relationships b etween visual and auditory autokinesis. Using reported changes in pitch and loudness as auditory criteria, he found positive correlations, but not all of them were significantly different from zero.…”