"Out-of-pitch" but still "in-time". An auditory psychophysical study in congenital amusic adults.
Congenital amusia is a lifelong disability, commonly known as tone deafness, that prevents afflicted individuals from developing basic musical skills despite normal audiometry and above-average intellectual, memory, and language skills. Although it is estimated that 4% of the general population would be born with such a musical handicap, the underlying cause is presently unknown. Recently, we proposed that this disorder could be traced to a deficit in pitch perception on the basis of a single case. Here we provide psychophysical evidence for the existence of a generalized defect that is both fine grained and specific to pitch because time is unaffected.
Hyde
Kristal L
KL
Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, C.P. 6128 succ. Centre-ville, Montreal (Qc), H3C 3J7, Canada.
Peretz
Isabelle
I
D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009146:Music; D010468:Perceptual Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010898:Pitch Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D011601:Psychophysics; D013998:Time Perception / Q000502:physiology*