Influence of Emotions on Perception of Loudness: Article Analysis

Running head: Analysis Essay 1
PSY 101
Template for GT Department-Wide Assignment
Spring 2018
(40 points)
Name:
S#:
Date:
Part 1 – Article Analysis
Part 1 - Section 1 (Explain an Issue)
The researchers of this study were interested in understanding the influence of emotions
on the perception of Loudness. Loudness perception being an important modular system is not
affected in any way by brain systems. It was meant to examine whether negative emotion had it
could in any way influence the basic sensory dimension. It was to explore the possibility that
emotional processing could regulate low-level perceptions (Asutay & Västfjäll, 2012). The
study incorporated 34 individuals with normal hearing (females had a mean age of 26.7). The
research participants were enquired about their hearing abilities. All the research participants
gave their informed consent before being included in the activities and were appropriately
compensated after the study. In accordance to research ethical guidelines, the study experiments

Analysis Essay 2
were done according to the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki, and Vastra Gotaland regional ethics
committee approved its activities. 1/3 octave band wide noise which had Centre frequencies 250
Hz, 500Hz, 1 kHz and 2 kHz served as auditory stimuli and the loudness was maintained at 5.5
sones [21]. The sounds were produced by the use of loudspeakers which were placed at a 1.2m
height and 2m distance from the research correspondents. The elevation of the loudspeakers was
at 60 degrees. In the actual activity, the participants sat on a chair and a vibration was applied
over a powerful shaker attached to the seat rest. The amplitude and the stimulus (tactile
stimulation) were applied at the same level. The overall experiment was carried out in different
lighting conditions and sound attenuated rooms. Several repetitions of the experiments were
done on the participants. The data was later collected and analyzed using the SPSS statistical
software in terms of the sum of squares.
Part 1 - Section 2 (Relevance of Context)
A lot of research has been done on this topic of psychology. Emotional influences are a
key aspect of consideration for much psychological research. This is why the researchers in this
study were influenced by the professional gap that existed regarding the knowledge needed in
this field of psychology. The existing knowledge already shows a significant positive input of
this research into the field of psychology (Heidig, Müller & Reichelt, 2015). The study of the
influence of emotions has been directed to different aspects such as learning memory, academic
memory, and brain activity, decision making and empirical connection of emotion and music.
(Tyng et. al, 2017) & (Thompson & Quinto, 2011). Many researchers have found out that
emotions have a significant impact on various aspects that regard everyday life. This is why the
study on the perception of loudness as being influenced by emotions has also brought a lot of
insights into many areas where this phenomenon is common. These include clubs, music

Analysis Essay 3
concerts, recreational facilities using music systems and many more. The main goal has been to
breach the gap that exists between many common environments and people’s emotional
responses to them. The research took place was at the University of California. There is a
significant impact that was felt by the context of the research. It was hence considered valid and
relevant to the researchers and the whole team.
Part 1 - Section 3 (Identify Assumptions)
It is important to note that there could have been many factors that led to the research of
the influence of emotions. The researchers found out that there was notable both groups of
individuals experienced higher EDA when they heard the CS+ compared to CS-. This proves the
validity of the hypothesis that tactile stimulation aroused emotionally on its own and that there
was a success in altering the emotion associated with auditory stimuli. Most people exhibit wild
emotional responses to certain aspects of the society (Ruvalcaba-Romero, et.al, 2017). There are
different environments in which emotional influence can be high. These environments include
unstable emotional state, critical thinking and other inactive states of the human brain such as
sleep, lucid dreaming, and hallucinations. The hypothesis that the research carried out was
testing is the influence of perception by emotions. It was assumed that the rate of voice
transmission was constant in all the participants so that their impact depends on their hearing
capabilities. The level of noise made was also assumed to be of the same range and intensity so
that it was tested according to the tools that were used. Since the environment did not have
specific common factors, it was assumed that most of the factors that would affect sound
transmission and emotional control and influence. The assumptions that were made concerning
the research participants was that they would find it uncomfortable to consistently listen to
loudness. The undertakers of this research also assumed that there were many ways in which