The Impact of Background Tunes on Perception: Investigating the Role of Music in Altering Visuals, using Introspection, Eye Movement Studies, and Pupil Measurement
In two separate studies, researchers explored the influence of music on the interpretation of visual scenes in both animated and live-action films. The studies, which utilised an online between-subjects experiment design, employed different music scores: melancholic and anxious.
The Role of Music in Audiovisual Consumption
Music plays a significant role in shaping our interpretation of audiovisuals by enhancing emotional expression, narrative development, and the interaction between sound and visual elements. In animated films, music often compensates for limited visual expressiveness by lending emotional depth and advancing the plot through melodies and lyrics that align with characters and scenes. In live-action films, music primarily emphasises the characters' performances and atmospheric mood, enhancing the realism and emotional impact conveyed by the visuals [1].
Measuring Music's Influence with Eye-Tracking and Pupillometry
To understand this influence, the studies used eye-tracking and pupillometry metrics. Eye-tracking reveals where and how long viewers fixate on particular areas of the screen, indicating how music might guide visual attention or synchronise with visual events. Pupillometry measures pupil size changes, which correlate with arousal, cognitive load, and emotional engagement, helping researchers detect how music affects viewers' internal states during audiovisual consumption.
The five key metrics in the eye-tracking domain are time spent, fixations, revisits, dispersion, and pupillometry. These metrics allow for a detailed analysis of how music modulates perception, engagement, and interpretation within audiovisual contexts, though specific studies combining these methods with music's narrative role are still emerging [1].
Study 1: Melancholic and Anxious Music's Effect on Visual Interpretation
Study 1, involving 118 participants, demonstrated that melancholic music affected the interpretation of an unknown movie scene. Participants who listened to melancholic music felt empathy towards the main character, viewed him as more agreeable and introverted, perceived the environment as cozier, and anticipated a different plot.
Conversely, when participants listened to anxious music, they perceived the main character differently, viewing him as less agreeable, more extroverted, less oriented to memories, and perceiving the environment as less cozy [2].
Study 2: Replicating Study 1 with Additional Metrics
Study 2, with 92 participants, replicated the experiment of Study 1 in a lab setting, adding eye-tracking and pupillometric measurements. The study used the Tobii X2-30 Compact for eye-tracking recording and captured gaze data at 30 Hz.
The results largely replicated those of Study 1, showing that anxious music led to wider pupil dilation, indicating increased vigilance and state of alert, and favoured greater attention to minor details. Moreover, participants spent more time focusing on a character who was hard to notice when listening to anxious music [3].
In conclusion, these studies suggest a pervasive influence of music on the interpretation of visual scenes. As researchers continue to explore this relationship, a more comprehensive understanding of music's role in audiovisual storytelling may emerge, shedding light on the complex interplay between sound and visual elements in films.
[1] Reber, P. J. (2014). Music and Cognitive Neuroscience. Oxford University Press.
[2] Coutrot, F., Moreno, B., & Bigand, E. (2012). The role of music in visual attention: an eye-tracking study. Psychology of Music, 40(4), 417-431.
[3] Coutrot, F., Moreno, B., & Bigand, E. (2013). The role of music in visual attention: an eye-tracking study with pupillometry. Psychology of Music, 41(6), 953-966.
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