Haigh SM, Haugland AM, Mendoza LR, Montero M. Auditory discomfort in visually sensitive individuals.
Front Psychol 2023;
14:1126481. [PMID:
38098527 PMCID:
PMC10720311 DOI:
10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1126481]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2022] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction
Sensory discomfort occurs in clinical and non-clinical populations. While some of the parameters that evoke visual discomfort have been identified, the parameters of sounds that evoke auditory discomfort are largely unknown.
Methods
We presented various sounds and asked participants to rate the discomfort they experienced. In Experiments 1 and 2 tones were presented at frequencies between 0.25-8 kHz and modulated sinusoidally in amplitude at frequencies between 0-32 Hz. In Experiment 3 tones were swept in frequency from 500 Hz-2 kHz at sweep rates of 5-50 per second. In Experiment 4, sweeps varied in frequency range and central frequency.
Results
Discomfort increased with frequency. The effects of the amplitude modulation and sweep rate on discomfort were relatively small and were experienced mainly at low modulation frequencies and high sweep rates. Individuals who experienced visuo-perceptual distortions in the Pattern Glare (PG) Test reported greater auditory discomfort.
Discussion
This suggests that sensory sensitivity in one modality may occur in another.
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