How does our brain transform sound into emotion?
RESEARCH AND EMOTION
Research has revealed widespread associations between specific sounds and emotions:
Some of these may include
· Rain evokes a feeling of relaxation
· The vibrations of a cell phone are often identified as irritating
· The sound of a thunderstorm evokes a feeling of either relaxation or anxiety, depending on the
person
· Wind chimes commonly provoke a restless feeling
· Fireworks evoke a feeling of nostalgia and pleasurable memories
:However, more specifically, it has long been established and recognised that sound, music, emotion, and memory have powerful connections between them. Added to that, our personal experiences and preferences determine the type and intensity of emotional response we have to various sounds.
Other sounds have a more universal character. Researchers have discovered that the sound of laughter is globally recognised and identified as a positive sound signifying amusement, while other sounds are universally associated with fear, anger, disgust, sadness, and surprise.
This leads us to ask 2 questions:
· Why are we predisposed to particular emotional responses in the presence of certain sounds?
· Why does the response be likely to vary between individuals?
Researchers have developed some interesting insights into how sound and sound environments can affect humans on personal, emotional, and psychological levels and have concluded that there are six key psychological mechanisms through which sound may stir up emotions. Let us examine these key factors.
. 1. Brain-Stem Reflex
This refers to an impulse and subconscious reaction. It is often hard wired into our brains to warn us to possibly important or hazardous sounds and possible danger.
For example: Imagine sitting down in a room reading a book or on a computer doing our work. Suddenly, outside we hear a loud bang like the sound of a car crash. Most people are emotionally stirred which compels us to investigate.
Another example of this type of Brain stem reflex at work would be when we hear the siren of an ambulance/fire/police. Our response is to move over but interestingly enough we have often moved over to clear the way long before we have seen the ambulance, fire engine or police car. This is brain stem reflex at work within us as we react to sound.
In his work called Ameriques, the French composer Edgard Varèse used police sirens to evoke the sound of New York City in Amériques, the first work he produced upon moving to the United States, in 1918. Around this time, he learned that nearly everything he had written had been destroyed in a warehouse fire, which gave the composer ample cause to start literally and figuratively anew with fresh musical experiments. The score is rife with quotations from other pieces (Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring proved a tremendous influence) and represents Varèse’s attempt to make a space for noise in 20th-century music. Also present in the score are the sounds of construction, the river, foghorns, and firetrucks. The composer requests that an enormous orchestra, including nine percussionists, allow his work to assail the ear.
2. Evaluative Conditioning
Many people often associate sounds with particular emotions dependant on the circumstance in which the sound was heard. For instance, listening to a song previously played on a happy occasion may induce feelings of joy, while the same song first heard by someone during a bad breakup may yield the opposite feelings of sadness, It may have been this couple’s personal song.
I find this regularly when I play/sing for weddings and requiems. I often advise those concerned to choose wisely especially when I ask them what they would like/not like played. The answers often reflect this evaluative conditioning. For example: I found that many brides wanted to have Trumpet Voluntary by Jeremiah Clarke after Prince Charles and Lady Dianna were married in 1981 and following years. Obviously after the breakup, it was requested a lot less.Another example is Ave Maria by Schubert.
Another example is when the music is chosen whilst the casket is being taken from the church. I advise the bereaved to choose carefully because they often pair it together for quite some time afterwards and may find it a painful reminder.
3. Emotional Contagion
Have you been in a situation where someone starts laughing and before long you find yourself laughing with them? Sometimes we might even say ‘’ stop laughing, you are making me laugh too or your laughing is contagious.
The same can apply to smiling too.
Research into why this occurs showed that the brain may contain what are described as “mirror neurons” that are active both when you are performing a task AND when you are observing someone else carry out the task. In other words, when we hear someone laughing or crying, it can be difficult to not also experience the corresponding feeling of emotion. Here is an example and see how you react yourself.
When we are listening to music it can evoke in our brain a positive emotional experience and give us strong visual images of a particular event or scene. For example, if we were listening to music that related to nature, our brain would likely to provide us with that relaxing scene. Another example might be listening to a piece of music that we had heard at a concert. We enjoy the music for its own merit but the visual imagery associated with the music when we heard it at the concert provides extra enjoyment factor. For example when I listen to Highlander’s Cathedral, it reminds me of it being played at an Andre Rieu concert I attended. I can still see the lady who had the solo line in her electric blue dress along with the 30-bagpiper band coming into the hall. I love this piece of music but when I hear it, I have no problems recalling in my mind the wonderful night I had, who I was with, what I wore and the emotional reaction I had that night as it was being played.
4.. Visual Imagery
When we are listening to music it can evoke in our brain a positive emotional experience and give us strong visual images of a particular event or scene. For example, if we were listening to music that related to nature, our brain would likely to provide us with that relaxing scene. Another example might be listening to a piece of music that we had heard at a concert. We enjoy the music for its own merit but the visual imagery associated with the music when we heard it at the concert provides extra enjoyment factor. For example when I listen to Highlander’s Cathedral, it reminds me of it being played at an Andre Rieu concert I attended. I can still see the lady who had the solo line in her electric blue dress along with the 30-bagpiper band coming into the hall. I love this piece of music but when I hear it, I have no problems recalling in my mind the wonderful night I had, who I was with, what I wore and the emotional reaction I had that night as it was being played.
5 Episodic Memory
Sounds can elicit emotionally potent memories, both positive and negative.
For example: Some years back, when I experienced my first car accident, I remembered for quite some time that crashing sound. I remember well the reaction I had when I was at a birthday party some weeks later and a balloon popped. That sound reminded me very quickly of the shock I received as the car behind me came crashing into the back of my car. So even though it was just a balloon bursting and had nothing whatever to do with my association of the car accident, the memory in my brain was implanted strongly at that time.
For those suffering from episodic memory which is adversely affecting their life, attending therapy is advisable. Guided Imagery and Music Therapy is a fabulous type of therapy to resolve episodic memories which have a paralysing effect on your life. In fact this type of therapy can be used for a wide variety of issues of course, but particularly useful in addressing these brain key factors addressed in this post.
6. Music Expectancy
As discussed, previous in other posts, music is a universal language. Music in its basic raw form could be described as random grouping of sounds. It can be deemed pleasurable or not only because the brain imposes order to the sounds and interprets the order in a specified way. It is, in fact, our expectations about the rhythm and melody of the music that generate an emotional response.
A good example of this is Second Movement of Symphony no 94 By Haydn. This is also known as the ‘‘Surprise Symphony’’..
Sound, Emotion, and Hearing Loss
We know that regardless of our reactions to different sounds, we are certain that our emotions are directly involved.
What happens when people lose their hearing. Hearing people often do not stop to think about it. They think that the person has lost or is losing one of their faculties- in this case hearing.
Sadly, often hearing people do not understand or appreciate that the person losing or who has lost their hearing also is losing or has lost the ability to not only hear the sounds but the emotional force which is tied to the sound.
.With hearing loss, for example, nature walks become less pleasant when you can no longer hear the faint sounds of running water; music loses its emotional impact when you can’t distinguish certain instruments; and you place yourself at increased risk when you can’t hear fire alarms or other alerts to danger.
If we are able to hear, we may also might be more aware of the loss a person who is losing his/her hearing is facing. So, it is vital to understand that hearing is more important to our lives—and to our emotional lives.
You can also listen to my podcast episode on this topic here.
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