Sounds with roughness, like screams, trigger an immediate attention response in our brains.
Acoustic properties of sounds, such as roughness, correlate with our interpretation of them as pleasant or unpleasant.
Deep dives
The Impact of Sounds on Our Bodies and Minds
Sounds have the power to shape our bodies and minds. They can startle us, evoke emotions, and even bring us into a meditative state. Our brains process different qualities of sounds, such as location, loudness, pitch, and timbre, to determine their impact on us. Alarming sounds, like screams, have specific properties, such as roughness, that trigger an immediate attention response in our brains. On the other hand, pleasant sounds, like nature sounds or laughter, have qualities that make us want to listen and connect with others. Researchers are exploring the neurological and physiological reactions that sounds create in groups and the synchronization that occurs when we listen together.
Measuring the Effects of Sounds
David Popple, a professor of auditory psychology, studies the effects of sounds on our perception. He investigates how our brains interpret and evaluate sounds. Popple's research has shown that the acoustic properties of sounds, like roughness in alarming sounds, correlate with our interpretation of them as pleasant or unpleasant. He also measures the groupiness and synchronization that occur when we listen in groups. Neurophysiological activity reflects the extent to which individuals are engaged and attuned to the sounds, correlating with their enjoyment and engagement with the experience.
Exploring the Impact of Alarm Sounds and Positive Sounds
Different sounds evoke distinct reactions in our bodies and minds. Alarm sounds, such as car alarms or police sirens, have properties like roughness that trigger an immediate attention response and activate parts of our brains that alert us to potential danger. Positive sounds, like nature sounds or laughter, are more open to interpretation and engage us differently. While there are common properties in collective and spiritual sound moments, researchers are still uncovering the specifics of why certain sounds impact us positively or negatively.
Some sounds are like rug burn for your ears, while others are pleasant and soothing. We explore these sounds and get to the bottom of why we might interpret them as “good” or “bad”. Featuring Tommy Edison and David Poeppel.