Sound Assault
Sound as a Means of Altering Behavior
Part II: Series Enforcement American Style
We will continue exploring the manipulation of the sanctity of our senses. In this part we will explore the psychological and behavioral effects of audible sound to ultrasound which is defined as frequencies greater than 20,000 Hz.
Factors that invoke biological changes in human beings with sound are rapid tempo, noise, and pressure. It is interesting to note that in the urban industrialized society sounds are increasingly being held responsible for vascular and nervous system disturbances. The Soviet Union has been aware for some time of the hazards of sound and have experimented with the concept of “The Zone of Health” which includes an environment of parks, seashore, and 28 other kinds of “therapy”. These zones were a place of rest and relaxation free from excessive sound stimulation. In 1969 142,000 “patients” were treated with this therapy and 98% went home “healthy”. While sound can have adverse physical effects, so too can sound deprivation.
A Russian book entitled “Effect of Intense Noise on the Brain: Experimental Research” scrutinized the effects of sound down to the nerve cells, fibers, synapses, ganglia, and blood vessels. This book has been translated into English. The book is divided into a couple of sections. The first looked at the harmful effect of sound irritants on living organisms. The second includes experimental data such as producing epileptic convulsions in a rats and subsequent death with infrasound as low as 7 Hz. Dogs exposed to this same frequency in a “nearby apartment building went completely insane with fear.”
Psychological and physiological effects include a significant impairment of tracking ability, choice-reaction time, foot pressure, and peripheral vision. Reaction time performance error begins to occur at 5Hz. Detrimental visual performance begins to occur at 8 Hz through 50 Hz. High intensity infrasound can cause sensations of panic and the impression that your head will burst. Infrasound at a frequency of 7 Hz can cause difficulty of mental activities and work precision.
At exposures to stimuli of 15-17 Hz SPL (sound pressure level) of approximately 104 decibels you could experience symptoms of generalized stress.
Canine death can be caused by strong acoustic stimulation. Prolonged (6 weeks) efforts to evoke neurosis in a strong dog failed to cause nervous system failure by using super-strong acoustic stimuli, 120 decibels. The experimenters then introduced a 1.5 gram dose of caffeine to the sound stressed dog. Within ten minutes the dog had a severe tonic seizure engulfing the entire body and a few seconds later the animal died.
According to Strakhov, he has investigated the effect of high intensity noise of 95-3000 Hz and found that it can change EEG patterns. Rabbits and cats exposed to high intensity noise experienced changes in respiratory function and cardiovascular reactions.
Vogel classifies the effects of sound into three categories: gross, annoyance, and subtle. Subtle sound can be used to instill fear, anxiety, confusion and panic. Annoyance sounds are used to interfere with work performance and the ability to learn and retain. Gross sound damage includes the loss of the ability to function, destroying or “muddling” of the conscious to such a degree that the ability of all but involuntary actions such as breathing, and heart beat would be destroyed.
Intense noise associated with aircraft may in many ways be similar to those that might be purposefully generated under combat situations. Aviation engineering technicians were exposed to 130 decibels complained of general fatigue, reduced work capacity, headache, unpleasant sensations of the heart, noise and ringing in the ear, pain in the stomach, and sometimes nausea and vomiting. After being exposed to this sound for a period of six hours all volunteers complained of noise and ringing in the ears, general fatigue and heaviness of the head. Some of the volunteers experienced paleness of the skin, involuntary twitching of facial muscles, apathy or irritability, perspiration, tremor of the eyelids, and fingers.
Organ and cellular effects of sound have been documented. Between 800 Hz to 1000 Hz the body can encounter bone fracture, edema in soft tissue, ulcerations, hemorrhages, kidney issues, behavioral effects. Aqueous living organisms are extremely sound sensitive. The above symptoms were noted including disturbed equilibrium, disquietude, lack of air, irregular respiration only to become suddenly frenzied resulting in death.
Another troubling symptom noted at 2000 Hz for 30 minutes to 10 days lab rats exhibited inhibition of the anticoagulation process. In other words sound makes one more susceptible to blood clotting. Of note, prolonged noise exposure is cumulative.
Ultrasonic noise at a frequency of 20,000 Hz was clinically observed in 104 individuals in an industrial environment. The main symptoms were headache, extremely pronounced fatigue, tiredness, and general weakness. The onset of symptoms began as early as 1-3 hours after starting work. Another effect of ultra-sound was disturbance of sleeping patterns. People reported daytime drowsiness and changes in nocturnal sleep. Thirty-eight percent of workers reported drug-like heavy, dreamless sleep while another group slept superficially, had intermittent sleep, had difficulty falling asleep, or had oppressive dreams. Others reported increased sensitivity to off-duty sound, “wanting to sleep day and night”, irritability, intellectual impairment, memory loss, and decreased perception, lassitude and apathy, retardation of movements, reactions, and inability to master new material. Subsequent conversation initiation was lacking and was reduced to monosyllables. Last, ultrasonic noise affected the sense of smell and decreased the sense of taste, and caused other symptoms, including gastrointestinal problems such as poor appetite with a tendency towards constipation.
Chronic exposure to ultrasound of moderate intensity can affect animal behavior changes including apathy, lassitude and refusal of food, emaciation, ulceration and loss of fur. Death can occur due to adrenal failure.
As you can see, the biological and psychological implications of sound intensity and frequency does impact our lifestyle. We need to be aware of the subtle changes in our bodies as a result of sound pollution and take precautions against the strategy of sound manipulation. Ensure that you have a “healthy zone”, an oasis of quiet and restoration, for your soul and body. Take a few moments to create a quite zone in your daily life whether it is a time of quiet, or maybe a room of no sound, which can be a refuge for you these intense days and times.
From the trenches,
Celeste