The effect of dynamic fundamental frequency on the perception of duration

Some previous studies have provided evidence for a perceived lengthening effect of dynamic f0, since listeners perceived stimuli (isolated vowels, monosyllables or non-speech sounds) with a dynamic f0 as longer than stimuli with a level f0 and the same physical duration. However, other studies failed to replicate this finding. The purpose of the present study was to extend this previous research by investigating whether this effect would replicate in speakers of languages other than those already tested. In addition, some of the properties that differed between the previous studies' stimuli, which could have led to the previous inconsistent findings, were investigated. The listeners comprised three groups: native speakers of Swiss German, Swiss French, or French. These languages differ from each other in terms of prosodic properties involving f0 and duration. In a two-alternative forced choice decision task, listeners in all three language groups heard stimuli with a dynamic f0 as longer than stimuli of equal duration with a level f0, significantly more often than chance. Therefore, the perceived lengthening effect of dynamic f0 was replicated. For these listeners, this effect did not differ depending on their native language.

Research highlights
► The effect of dynamic f0 on listeners' perception of duration is investigated.
► Listeners were native speakers of Swiss German, Swiss French or French.
► Stimuli included non-linguistic buzzes and linguistic [si] monosyllables.
► Dynamic f0 increased the perceived duration of stimuli, for all language groups.