Using fMRIS, researchers
were able to see why we cringe at the sound of scratching on a chalkboard. The research consisted of 13
participants who listened to 74 different sounds and rated them on how
enjoyable they were. The fMRIs
were used to moniter the brains response to the sounds. When there is an unpleasant sound, the auditory cortex and the amygdala interact which processes the negative emotions. Researchers say the cringe is primitive and it could possible be a distressful signal.
"The 10 most unpleasant sounds, according to the participants'
ratings, were:
1. Knife on a bottle
2. Fork on a glass
. . Chalk on a board
. . Chalk on a board
4. Ruler on a bottle
5. Nails on a blackboard
6. Female scream
7. Angle grinder (a power tool)
8. Brakes on a cycle squealing
9. Baby crying
1. Electric drill
The least unpleasant sounds were:
1. Applause
2. Baby laughing
3. Thunder
4. Water flowing"[1]
The article
continues to show that the frequencies between 2,000 to 5,000 hertz were the
most unpleasant sounds. This range is where our ears tend to be more
sensitive. There is no exact
explanation however this is usually the frequency we hear when someone screams.
Understanding the
reason behind the brains reaction could help researchers to help to treat
medical problems where they have a little tolerance to sound, people who have
autism, or disorders such as migranes.
Thank you for your post about cringing. As I read the top 10 most unpleasant sounds, I noticed that I was cringing myself. As to why these sounds would produce a cringing response, makes sense to me. These ten sounds are all very high pitched, loud, and are within the same range of frequencies that our ears are most sensitive to.
ReplyDeleteThis blog post made me think about other things that make people cringe, such as seeing someone's bone break or even just thinking about the event. I wonder how these cringing responses from visual stimuli differ from the cringing responses produced by sound, and how the activation in the brain may differ as well.