My referencing the Amygdala as a substantial influence on how an individual is unique in their assessing sound. In the past has got me into a few exchanges as a counter that were antithetical and quite unsupportive of the notion.
Hey Ho, when it comes to assessing an Audio Experience using End Sound, this is now a wanted to be created stimulus to be encountered in the local environment.
Humans have a host of survival mechanisms that are totally at their full function when processing stimuli attained from the local environment.
An individual is totally shaped by how they have developed in their local environments. Each individual is totally unique in how their bodies have recorded data to create responses that are survival related.
As an extremely layman description, chemical reactions produced within the body, shapes the behaviour of an individual when receiving sensory information from their local environment.
In relation to the Sensory Transmission of sound, the first reception of the sound is the Ear in which the Cochlea is found.
It is near impossible for two individuals to be aligned in how they are able to describe how they feel about sound being transmitted / volume of sound being transmitted. It is most likely there are Sounds produced as a whole that are collectively compatible to a large range of Humans exposed to certain environmental influences and conditioning, but not all Humans are going to be accepting of all Sounds able to be produced, avoidance will take place.
An individual after their having a few alcohol beverages on a night out with friends, is exposed to high Volume Levels and Distortions produced from a PA system from the local clubs live music night. Is the same individual willing to tolerate the same Volume Levels, Distortion, the following morning at a local coffee bar having a Latte. Individual through their interactions in the local environment develop Sensitivities / Prejudices to local stimuli that impact on the senses. How individuals develop tolerances for exposure to sound are associated with other Sensory Stimuli that is looked upon as being desirable to be near.
This same sensitivity / prejudice does extend to solely Audio Experiences as well, especially where the produced End Sound is designed to be encountered in the local environment.
The question being is the Cochlea's processing of received sound and the Amygdala's subsequent producing chemical activity that influences emotional responses and behaviour, as a combined function, responsible for the individual giving Thumbs Up / Thumbs Down to a Audio Experience.
When using an Audio System there is the need to convert a source energy into a electrical energy, ultimately with the electrical energy being converted into a kinetic energy, being the End Sound transmitted on the local environment.
What is also interesting and not typically spoken about, is that the Kinetic Energy when received by the Ear, is immediately converted back to electricity, as electrical impulses for the body to process. It is those electrical impulses that shape the individual to become totally unique in how they are to respond to the stimuli. The individual is left with an emotion, which is better described as wanting to be maintained (Pleasant) or not wanted to be maintained (Unpleasant).
The cochlea, an integral component of the inner ear, plays a vital role in our ability to hear and process sound. By converting sound waves into electrical impulses, the cochlea allows the brain to interpret different frequencies of sound. This process occurs through the stimulation of specific areas within the cochlea, triggered by vibrations carried through a fluid called endolymph. These vibrations are then transformed into electrical impulses in the cochlear duct through hair cells in the organ of Corti. The resulting impulses are carried by the vestibulocochlear nerve to the brain’s auditory cortex for further interpretation.
The amygdala is essential for processing emotional reactions and attaching emotional significance to experiences, playing a central role in various aspects of behavior and cognition.
The amygdala primarily regulates emotional responses.
The amygdala has widespread connections to various parts of the brain, allowing it to receive sensory information and influence responses. Its key connections include:
- Input from the sensory thalamus and sensory cortices (visual, auditory, somatosensory) – provides sensory information to the amygdala.
Faith, Science, what is known today is a scratch of the surface, where decade after decade, discoveries made means rewriting becomes a requirement.
For the Cochlea and Amygdala, the scientific understanding of their function is pretty much running Parallel with the modern usage of Audio Equipment as a form of entertainment within the home.
I'm sure as better education is more widespread, there will be a time when Audio will be sold with Marketing Spiel that makes claims for the Product having the potential to generate Pleasant Stimuli.