Subjective Listening Test

One of the methods that will be applied in this research project will be a qualitative research method and will take the form of a subjective listening test. The participants in this listening test will be from a variety of different backgrounds, not specifically with audio engineering knowledge. This is in order to get the best representation of the general public as possible.

"Based on conceptualizations from the psychology of literature (cf. Groeben & Vorderer, 1988), the sociology of culture (cf. Bourdieu, 1987), and from communication research (cf. McQuail, 1985; Liebes & Katz, 1986), Vorderer (1992) differentiates two levels of involvement and, accordingly, two modes of reception: a distant, analytical way of witnessing the events presented by the medium (low involvement) and, in contrast, a fascinated, emotionally and cognitively engaged way of enjoying the presentation (high involvement)... Analytical reception requires expertise and substantial knowledge about the media content and particularly about the media form."

(Christof Klimmt. 2003. P. 347, 348)

In order to gain results that reflect the general public and these two modes of involvement and reception, people with audio production knowledge and people without will be included in this test. These test participants will be asked to choose the technique that they prefer by using the vertical sliders and track solo buttons on the mixing desk to switch between the two proposed techniques simultaneously, this is to give a sense that there is no particular loudness reference between each technique and they can freely adjust the gain between the two different mixes. This eliminates the listener preference being influenced by the order in which each technique is played and track loudness. Each technique will be named ‘A’ or ‘B’ so that the test subject does not know what technique they are listening to.

By analyzing the results of this test the researcher will be able to come to a conclusion upon which technique the majority prefer and achieve the overall project aim.

Klimmt Christof. 2003.

Vol. 12 No. 4 p. 347, 348

Media psychology  "is not yet there"- Introducing theories on the media entertainment to the presence debate

California, Los Angeles, USA