Perceived loudness grows nearly linearly with intensity until steepening near 90 dB SPL

Evidence

Group averaged fitted loudness curves (Oetting et al. 2014 ) for left monaural, right monaural and binaural stimuli are shown, along with the interindividual standard deviations of loudness estimates for the stimulus intensities presented in the MRI experiment. All three curves are characterized by a nearly linear growth of categorical loudness with sound intensity between 20 and 80 dB SPL and an increase in the steepness of the slope around 90 dB SPL. There was virtually no difference in perceived loudness between left and right ear of entry. For diotic stimulation, the expected effect of binaural loudness summation is clearly visible. — Dijk, Pim van, Physiology, Psychoacoustics and…, 2626

All three curves are characterized by a nearly linear growth of categorical loudness with sound intensity between 20 and 80 dB SPL and an increase in the steepness of the slope around 90 dB SPL. There was virtually no difference in perceived loudness between left and right ear of entry. For diotic stimulation, the expected effect of binaural loudness summation is clearly visible. — Dijk, Pim van, Physiology, Psychoacoustics and…, 2610

Categorization

• XREF: Connects to psychoacoustic loudness scaling literature and the binaural summation effect from earlier chapters of this volume. — connects to: Low-frequency tones become relatively louder as level increases.; Doubling perceived loudness requires a 10 dB increase. — Toole, Floyd E, Sound reproduction- the acoustics and…, 889; A tenfold intensity increase is perceived as only twice as loud — Eric J. Heller, Why You Hear What You Hear- An…, 143 (+6 more)
• DEFINE: Sets a concrete reference frame for what categorical loudness curves look like before the fMRI data is interpreted.
• corroborated: 4 independent passages support this claim — Dijk, Pim van, Physiology, Psychoacoustics and…, 2626; Dijk, Pim van, Physiology, Psychoacoustics and…, 2610

Broader Connections

• Loudness perception requires a tenfold intensity increase to double #qualifies (0.85) — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 652
• A 10 dB increase always doubles perceived loudness above 40 dB #qualifies (0.85) — Jennifer Lentz, Psychoacoustics- Perception of Normal…, 720
• Perceived loudness doubles with every 10 dB increase, not every 3 dB of intensity. #qualifies (0.85)
• Loudness grows faster at low levels than Stevens’ power law predicts #qualifies (0.80) — Jennifer Lentz, Psychoacoustics- Perception of Normal…, 727
• Human hearing perceives huge physical sound intensity changes as barely different #corroborates (0.75) — George Michelsen Foy, Zero Decibels, 97