Interaction of auditory and visual information in the Gidayu-bushi performer’s expression of gender and age

Abstract

Gidayu-bushi is a traditional Japanese performing art accompanied by shamisen music. The performer plays several characters. This research focuses on communication in performing arts where one performer plays various characters. The aim of this study is to explore the interaction of auditory and visual information in communicating the Gidayu-bushi performer’s expressions of gender and age. The object of the study was a performance in which two Gidayu-bushi performers played various age and gender roles and which featured 81 stimuli consisting of 27 sound-only modes, 27 vision-only modes, and 27 sound-and-vision modes. Participants were asked to determine the gender and age of the persons being played by the performer. First, the results of statistical analysis suggested that participants could correctly determine both gender and age in sound-and-vision mode. Second, it was shown that it was most difficult for the participants to identify gender when the performer transmitted expression of gender in vision-only mode. Participants were able to determine the age groups of the respective roles most clearly in sound-and-vision mode, second most clearly in sound-only and least clearly in vision-only. Finally, social skills affected determination by the participants. This study showed the importance of auditory cues rather than visual information in communication. It can also be inferred that on such occasions people use methods which differ from those applied in daily communication, where social skills are important.