How Does NeuroPop Manipulate Your Emotions with Sound?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the concept of NeuroPop, a company that claims to use neurosensory algorithms in music to manipulate emotions and evoke specific responses from listeners. The scope includes theoretical implications of sound on emotions, practical applications in media, and the psychological effects of certain sounds.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants discuss the idea that certain sounds, like fingernails on a chalkboard, can evoke strong negative reactions, suggesting a scientific basis for these responses.
  • Others express skepticism about the intention behind creating sounds that induce discomfort, such as motion sickness, questioning the motivations of the creators.
  • One participant mentions the potential for sounds to evoke specific emotional states, referencing the use of human ululations as a means to elicit arousal.
  • A participant notes that similar techniques are already employed in commercials, citing examples like sirens and children crying to provoke emotional responses.
  • Historical references are made to Alfred Hitchcock's use of sound in film, indicating that the manipulation of sound for emotional effect is not a new concept.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a mix of intrigue and skepticism regarding the manipulation of emotions through sound. There is no consensus on the ethical implications or the effectiveness of such techniques, indicating ongoing debate.

Contextual Notes

Some claims rely on subjective experiences and personal reactions to sounds, which may vary widely among individuals. The discussion does not resolve the effectiveness or ethical considerations of using sound to manipulate emotions.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals interested in psychology, sound design, media production, and the intersection of neuroscience and art may find this discussion relevant.

Ivan Seeking
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The sound of fingernails scraping a dusty chalkboard makes a listener immediately squirm and cover her ears.

One company believes that there is real science behind such a reaction to sounds. NeuroPop is integrating neurosensory algorithms into music to create a certain mood and evoke more intense responses from listeners. The company hopes to market its compositions to the movie industry and video game companies.

Its first CD, Overload: The Sonic Intoxicant, contains tracks ranging from "chill out," meditative music to a piece that generates a feeling of motion sickness in some.

"I want to do something that messes with people's heads," said Lance Massey, a longtime composer of commercials and the creative director of NeuroPop. [continued]


http://www.wired.com/news/culture/0,1284,63278,00.html?tw=wn_tophead_1
 
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...great... How bout the sound of a puking bird hitting a blackboard. Combines 3 sounds that people hate. Puking, Blackboards, and Birds hitting windows.

What about the sound of bones breaking? That is a horrid sound, I broke my toe a few weeks ago while driving. Most off-putting.

Why would someone want to CREATE motion sickness?? jeez, what a weirdo... bet he is popular with his friends.
 
I heard human ululations make people horny. I think that's all that matters.
 
Some comercials already do this. Sounds of sirens in the background, or children crying, in stress or headache remedy commercials, etc. Alfred Hitchcock used real bird sounds for his soundtrack music in "The Birds."