Auditory imaging is the experience of hearing sounds when there is no actual noise. It has a neural basis and can be triggered by familiar sounds or experiences. It can be a sign of a neurological problem or benign. Auditory imagery can also refer to evocative passages in literature that create a sensory experience.
Auditory imaging is a term that describes the reports of hearing and experiencing sounds when nothing is actually making noise. According to studies conducted by researchers interested in this phenomenon, there is a neural basis for this phenomenon, with sound association areas of the brain being activated during experiences of it. Studying this event can provide interesting insights into how the brain works, and can also be informative when dealing with individual patients.
Many people have had the experience of having a song suddenly stuck in their brain, which is an example of auditory imagery. Sometimes something acts as a trigger, with someone hearing part of the song, hearing the name of the song mentioned, or having an experience that evokes the song, and other times, the music can seem to appear randomly. In all cases, people feel they hear the song, but no auditory stimulus is actually occurring.
Another common example of auditory imagery can be demonstrated when someone looks up a phone number and tries to remember it. Some people recite the phone number out loud, while others may repeat it silently in their head, but may feel like they are hearing someone recite the phone number. The auditory cortex is active, in this case, but it’s not actually receiving input. The researchers also noted that people can experience this phenomenon when they hear familiar sounds and the sound cuts out; for example, someone might “hear” a roar from an engine after a stationary truck drives off, or someone listening to a familiar song might fill a gap if the sound cuts out momentarily.
Auditory hallucination can be distracting or disturbing. The sudden occurrence of auditory imaging or other types of imaging can be a sign that there is a neurological problem and it may be a good idea to see a doctor for an evaluation. Other times, it appears to be benign and totally random. This mental imagery is also involuntary; people don’t make the effort to experience auditory images, their brain does it just for them.
In the literature, people may also use the term “auditory images,” but in a slightly different sense. In this context, it refers to evocative passages that are designed to refer to sounds. Sometimes a person reading an evocative passage in a book can experience auditory imagery as the brain converts flat words on the page into a sensory experience. For example, someone reading about a character who “munches on autumn leaves” might “feel” the leaves being crushed underfoot.
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