psychoacoustics

American  

[sahy-koh-uh-koo-stiks, -uh-kou-] / ˌsaɪ koʊ əˈku stɪks, -əˈkaʊ- /

noun

(used with a singular verb)

1. the study of sound perception.

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psychoacoustics British  

/ ˌsaɪkəʊəˈkuːstɪks /

noun

1. (functioning as singular) psychol the study of the relationship between sounds and their physiological and psychological effects

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Other Word Forms

• psychoacoustic adjective
• psychoacoustical adjective

Etymology

Origin of psychoacoustics

First recorded in 1945–50; psycho- + acoustics

Example Sentences

They focused on psychoacoustics, a field that embraces the idea that our ears can mask deficiencies in a recording.

From Washington Post

He gives as much credit to the psychoacoustics as to physical acoustics, convinced that how you feel about your environment invariably colors how you hear and how you make music.

From Los Angeles Times

Acer says the ConceptD utilizes “improved psychoacoustics” to provide a better listening experience.

From The Verge

Core concerns she enumerates in her professional biography are “queer and trans identity, love, intimacy and psychoacoustics.”

From New York Times

The next night, pianist Richard Valitutto gave the West Coast premiere of “SOVT,” an hourlong piano piece by Sarah Hennies, who describes her work as “concerned with a variety of musical, sociopolitical and psychological issues including queer and trans identity, love, intimacy, psychoacoustics and percussion.”

From Los Angeles Times