Classical music is widely used as an affective stimulus in psychological research, yet inconsistencies across studies often arise from insufficient control of musical parameters. This study evaluated the cognitive validity of a controlled classical “sister-piece” database, designed to orthogonally manipulate mode (major/minor) and tempo (fast/slow). Twenty-nine participants judged the mode and tempo of 16 piano excerpts, and musical experience was examined as a moderating factor. The mean error rate was 10.8% for mode and 1.9% for tempo, both below an a priori 20% criterion for cognitive validity. Participants with ≥ 6 years of musical training showed significantly lower mode error rates, indicating an influence of musical experience on harmonic recognition. These findings provide evidence that the database’s mode-tempo manipulations are cognitively recognized as intended. This recognition-based validation approach complements prior rating-based studies of affective impressions and underscores the need to refine tonal clarity to enhance applicability in affective and neurocognitive research.
SAKAI et al. (Thu,) studied this question.
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