A recent gif image has been circulating where individual can report hearing a “thud” sound with the image, despite there being no sound. The convergence of visual and auditory events is not new and researchers believe that the visually-evoked auditory responses (VEAR) are more common than previously thought.
Other types of synaesthesias are estimated to have an overall prevalence of 4.4 percent; however, recent work published in the journal Cortex estimated the prevalence of VEAR to 21 percent. To do so the researchers carried out a large-scale online study (n=4128) with a survey that included 24 silent video clips similar to the “thud gif.” They observed that those reporting “yes” to hearing sounds were more likely to report tinnitus or musical imagery.
Reference
Fassnidge CJ, Freeman ED. (2018) Sounds from seeing silent motion: Who hears them, and what looks loudest? Cortex.
Recent Posts
Act Now: Contact Your Senators to Protect Future Audiologists
The Senate is expected to vote Thursday, June 25, on the Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution to overturn the Department of Education’s student loan rule….
Join the Next SPAN Meeting on July 22
The Academy’s State Policy Advocate Network (SPAN) will hold its next quarterly meeting on Wednesday, July 22, from 8:00–9:00 pm ET. SPAN provides Academy members…
How Well Do Parents and Professionals Know Their Child’s Cochlear Implant?
Once a child has received cochlear implants (CI), the responsibility of managing and maintaining the implant is upon parents and caregivers. These adults should have…
