Psychoacoustic theories are tested by constructing synthetic sounds that confound current explanations
Evidence
Method 2 seems to provide an attractive possibility since the place theory gives the positions of the harmonics, whether or not f0 is present, and it should provide a basis for pitch perception provided some adjacent harmonics are present. For most musical sounds, adjacent harmonics are indeed present. However, researchers are always looking for ways of testing psychoacoustic theories, in this case pitch perception, by creating sounds for which the perceived pitch cannot be explained by current theories. Such sounds are often generated electronically to provide accurate control over their frequency components and temporal development. — David Howard, Jamie Angus, coustics and Psychoacoustics, 860
Categorization
- XREF: Relevant to the reader’s stated goal of applying psychoacoustic methods: illustrates the falsification-driven experimental methodology of the discipline. — connects to: Psychoacousticians test theories by deliberately creating sounds that current theories cannot explain.