What we can do with sounds

Abstract

Auditory perception can be dynamic when sound sources are in motion or changing, when the listener is moving relative to the source of sound, or both. Moreover, our engagement with the acoustic environment is often active rather than passive. That is, sounds can be brought into use to support and guide perceptual-motor behaviour. This presentation will review examples of recent empirical work on the role of auditory perception in the control of motor behaviour: what we can do with sounds. Data from experiments on intercepting moving objects without vision, acoustic navigation and orientation in people with visual impairments, exploration and learning of novel digital musical instruments, and rhythmic sounds in gait rehabilitation, all demonstrate different ways that sounds can convey action-relevant information for skilful listeners. Furthermore, they point to a need to consider the auditory system not merely as a passive antenna for inert distal stimuli, but as integrated within an active meaning-seeking organism interacting with a dynamic environment.