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Academic Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences, 2023, 6(18); doi: 10.25236/AJHSS.2023.061825.

The Effect of Auditory Stimuli on the Attention Bias of Threatening Information

Author(s)

Shenyang Tang1, Zhihao Cai2

Corresponding Author:
Shenyang Tang
Affiliation(s)

1Shanghai Soong Ching Ling School, Shanghai, China, 202305 

2Shanghai Wellington College International, Shanghai, China, 200124

Abstract

Auditory information plays a crucial role in humans' daily life, and different types of sounds can have varying influences on individuals. Throughout the history of human survival and development, the ability to quickly identify and respond to threats has been essential. Threatening attention bias is observed from infancy and develops gradually with an individual's growth. The purpose of this study is to explore the influence of auditory information on people's attention to threatening information in different scenarios. A total of 23 subjects were recruited and divided into three groups. Each group of subjects viewed specific scenarios under different background sounds: aggressive, peaceful, and no background sound. The viewing process was recorded using an eye-tracker. The experimental results showed that the first fixation duration in the aggressive sound group was significantly less than in the other two groups. This indicates that the subjects displayed avoidance of threatening information at the initial stage. The aggressive sound made people more alert and sensitive to potential dangers and threats, leading to a threat-avoidance behavior. This finding could enhance the understanding of threatening bias and can be leveraged in sound-related applications, such as video game design, audio guide design, and online course design.

Keywords

Eye-tracking, background sound, auditory information, threat, threatening attention bias, gazing attention

Cite This Paper

Shenyang Tang, Zhihao Cai. The Effect of Auditory Stimuli on the Attention Bias of Threatening Information. Academic Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences (2023) Vol. 6, Issue 18: 156-160. https://doi.org/10.25236/AJHSS.2023.061825.

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