Some Dimensions of Auditory Sonar Signal Perception and Their Relationships to Target Classification

摘要

Two experiments were performed with experienced sonar technician listeners in an effort to identify perceptual dimensions underlying the classification of aurally presented sonar signals. It was found that: (1) where common sets of sonar signals are used as stimuli, the group perceptual space of naive and experienced sonar listeners is highly similar; (2) experienced sonar listeners attach different salience or importance to particular dimensions than do naive listeners; (3) the number of dimensions in the group perceptual space is a function of the representativeness of the signal set; (4) most sonar signals are quite complex perceptually, and project on several dimensions; (5) very strong projections on some of the experimentally identified dimensions are associated with a high degree of classification success, but signals that lack strong projections on any dimension are often erroneously classified; (6) experienced sonar listeners classify signals in accord with how strongly the signals resemble certain target class stereotypes; this may or may not result in successful classification of particular examples.