A Brief Analysis of the Use of Audio Visual Stimuli in Psychophysiology, Neuroscience, and Psychology

Abstract

It is a common practice in psychological and psycho physiological studies to create experiments and subsequent results depending on various audio-visual stimuli. Examples vary between showing subjects certain images for inducing certain behaviors such as showing an image of a spider or snake to measure the reactions of fear, whereas some studies rely on audio stimuli. The process in each and every one of these studies are rigorously and meticulously evaluated for their methodologies, the shortcomings of the study is questioned in each step. Except for one crucial component: the choice of the audio and visual materials that are utilized in the studies. This paper examines why and how the neuroscience, psychophysiology, and
psychology studies seem to overlook the importance of the social and cultural components of the audio and visual stimuli that are chosen for the studies. Often times researchers fall into their own biases to determine the audio and visual components in these studies which might inevitably effect the results of the research.