Sunday, April 24, 2011

Sound and Fear

Human Reaction Towards Sound

The following definition is offered as providing the appropriate level of specificity: Noise sensitivity refers to the internal states (be they physiological, psychological [including attitudinal], or related to life style or activities conducted) of any individual which increase their degree of reactivity to noise in general.

Thus, the following factors could be components of noise sensitivity: Level of physiological reactivity to stimulation generally; hearing acuity; attitudes to noise in general (but not to a specific noise source); beliefs about harmful effects of noise in general; vulnerability caused by stressors other than noise; level of social support and other available coping mechanisms. Within this general definition of noise sensitivity, it may prove useful to distinguish various types of sensitivity: physiological reactivity to noise in general; psychological reactivity; degree of coping; etc. The extent to which these factors are independent will be another matter of empirical investigation. However, in the absence of relevant data, and without being able to specify how inter-related these factors will be (e.g., physiological reactivity may be detected by an individual and so change the psychological factors; or beliefs may create more physiological reactivity), noise sensitivity should not yet be further specified in terms of these contributing factors.


Fear

Fear is a chain reaction in the brain that starts with a stressful stimulus and ends with the release of chemicals that cause a racing heart, fast breathing and energized muscles, among other things, also known as the fight-or-flight response.

Cases of fear of sounds are usually caused by intense negative experience from the past. 

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