The parsing of undifferentiated tone sequences into groups of qualitatively distinct elements is one of the earliest rhythmic phenomena to have been investigated experimentally (Bolton, 1894). The present study aimed to replicate and extend these findings through online experimentation using a spontaneous grouping paradigm with forced-choice response (from 1 to 12 tones per group). Two types of isochronous sequences were used: equitone sequences, which varied only with respect to signal rate (200, 550, or 950 ms interonset intervals), and accented sequences, in which accents were added every two or three tones to test the effect of induced grouping (duple vs. triple) and accent type (intensity, duration, or pitch). In equitone sequences, participants’ grouping percepts (N = 4,194) were asymmetrical and tempo-dependent, with “no grouping” and groups of four being most frequently reported. In accented sequences, slower rate, induced triple grouping, and intensity accents correlated with increases in group length. Furthermore, the probability of observing a mixed metric type—that is, grouping percepts divisible by both two and three (6 and 12)—was found to be highest in faster sequences with induced triple grouping. These findings suggest that lower-level triple grouping gives rise to binary grouping percepts at higher metrical levels.

中文翻译：

---

速率和重音对主观节奏的影响

将未分化的音调序列解析为质量不同的元素组是最早通过实验研究的节奏现象之一（Bolton，1894）。本研究旨在通过在线实验复制和扩展这些发现，使用具有强制选择响应的自发分组范式（每组从 1 到 12 个音调）。使用了两种类型的等时序列：等音序列，仅在信号速率（200、550 或 950 毫秒间隔）和重音序列中变化，其中每两个或三个音调添加重音以测试诱导分组（双重与三重）和重音类型（强度、持续时间或音高）。在 equitone 序列中，参与者的分组感知 (N = 4,194) 是不对称且依赖于节奏的，“不分组”和四人一组是最常报告的。在重音序列中，较慢的速率、诱导的三重分组和强度重音与组长度的增加相关。此外，观察到混合度量类型的概率——即，分组感知可被二和三（6 和 12）整除——被发现在具有诱导三重分组的更快序列中最高。这些发现表明，较低级别的三重分组会在较高的度量级别上产生二元分组感知。可被二和三（6 和 12）整除的分组感知被发现在具有诱导三重分组的更快序列中最高。这些发现表明，较低级别的三重分组会在较高的度量级别上产生二元分组感知。可被二和三（6 和 12）整除的分组感知被发现在具有诱导三重分组的更快序列中最高。这些发现表明，较低级别的三重分组会在较高的度量级别上产生二元分组感知。