Musical pitch has a curious effect on our perception of brightness

by Eric W. Dolan July 15, 2024

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A recent study published in the journal Psychology of Music details an intriguing interaction between the auditory and visual senses. Researchers discovered that lower-pitched music tends to make people perceive visual objects as darker, while higher-pitched music leads to perceptions of brighter visuals.

Music is a constant part of our lives, often paired with visual elements in movies, advertisements, and everyday situations. For example, think about how music sets the mood in a film or how it enhances the impact of an advertisement. While it is known that music can affect our emotions and interpretations, the researchers wanted to investigate a more specific question: Does the pitch of music (how high or low it sounds) influence how we perceive the brightness of visual objects?

Past studies have shown that our senses can influence each other. For instance, ominous music can make scenes in movies feel more threatening, and upbeat music can make products in ads seem more appealing. However, there was a gap in understanding how the specific attribute of musical pitch affects visual perception. This study aimed to fill that gap.

The study involved 30 university students from South Korea, with an average age of approximately 24 years. All participants reported normal or corrected-to-normal vision and normal hearing, and two were music degree students.

More:
https://www.psypost.org/musical-pitch-has-a-curious-effect-on-our-perception-of-brightness/