Factors related to magnitude estimation scaling of complex auditory stimuli aging

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of aging on magnitude estimation scaling of the: loudness of complex auditory stimuli in the fr,r m of rock music. The subjects were 10 young adults (M age = 19.3 yr.), anti 10 older individuals (M age = 54.2 yr.). The older individuals' mean numer ical responses suggested that they perceived the rock music stimuli as loud er for all nine suprathreshold intensities tested. The older group of subje cts may have perceived the suprathreshold stimulus intensities as being lou der because of physical and affective changes that naturally occur in centr al auditory processing during the aging process.