When a person tries to catch a faint sound, it’s common to instinctively close their eyes to eliminate visual distractions and focus more intently on listening. This habit is believed to enhance sensitivity to sounds. However, this approach isn’t always effective, especially in environments with significant background noise.

Study on the Impact of Visual Information on Hearing

In a study published in the journal JASA, researchers from Shanghai University of Transport explored how visual stimuli affect the ability to distinguish sounds in noisy settings. The experiment involved listening to various sounds through headphones against a backdrop of noise. Participants were asked to adjust the volume until the sound was just barely audible. The tests were conducted under several conditions: with eyes closed, with eyes open while looking at a blank screen, while viewing a static image related to the sound, and while watching a corresponding video.

Main Findings

The results showed that closing the eyes did not improve, but rather hindered, the detection of faint sounds in noisy environments. The highest sensitivity to sounds was observed when relevant visual information was present, especially when participants watched dynamic videos that matched the sound.

Perception Mechanisms

To analyze brain activity during the tests, researchers used electroencephalography (EEG). They found that closing the eyes puts the brain into a state of neural criticality, which increases the filtering of incoming information. This leads to a reduction not only in background noise but also in the target sounds that need to be heard. In noisy conditions, the brain must actively separate the signal from the background, and internal concentration with closed eyes can result in excessive filtering. Meanwhile, visual engagement helps the auditory system better focus on external sounds.

Specifics of the Effect

This effect is particularly relevant in noisy environments. In quieter settings, closing the eyes may still help distinguish subtle sounds. However, in everyday life, where significant background noise is often present, keeping the eyes open and using visual information proves to be a more effective strategy.

Future Research Perspectives

Researchers plan to continue studying the interaction between vision and hearing to determine whether the benefit lies in the mere presence of visual information or in its correspondence with the sound. In particular, they intend to test how mismatched visual and auditory stimuli—such as hearing a drum while seeing a bird on the screen—affect perception. This will help distinguish general attention effects from the specific advantages of multisensory integration.