Association of different neural processes during different emotional perceptions of white noise and pure tone auditory stimuli

Abstract

Sound is a sensory stimulant ubiquitously found throughout our environment. Humans have evolved a system that effectively and automatically converts sound sensory inputs into emotions. Although different emotional responses to sounds with different frequency characteristics are empirically recognized, there is a paucity of studies addressing different emotional responses to these sounds and the underlying neural mechanisms. In this study, we examined effects of pure tone (PT) and white noise (WN) inputs at ordinary loudness levels on emotional responses. We found that WN stimuli produced more aversive responses than PT stimuli. This difference was endorsed by larger late posterior positivity (LPP). In a source localization study, we found increased neural activity in the parietal lobe prior to LPP. These findings show that WN stimuli produce aversive perceptions compared with PT stimuli, at typical loudness levels. In addition, different emotional responses were processed in a similar manner as visual stimulations, as reflected by increased LPP activation. Various emotional effects of WN and PT stimuli, at ordinary loudness levels, could expand our understanding of adverse effects of noise as well as favorable effects associated with music.

Keywords: Event-related potentials; Sound frequency characteristics; Sounds of common loudness; Subjectively experienced valence and arousal responses.