Heavenly and Horrible Sounds

Why is a nightingale’s song sweeter than a raven’s croak? This seemingly simple question has huge implications for vocal communication because people’s voices are also judged esthetically. People with beautiful, rich voices get a social boost. AI assistants with unpleasant voices are rejected by users. The distress caused by harsh infant cries increases the risk of abuse. Decreased sound tolerance (misophonia) is a growing mental health concern. And yet, our understanding of the chain that leads from auditory processing to subjective evaluation of vocal signals remains very patchy.

In this Citizen Science project, there are hundreds of pleasant and unpleasant sounds waiting for you to listen to, rate, and share. See if you agree with the crowd! Are laughing babies and bird songs really the most divine sounds, or can we find better examples? Does your washing machine make that horrible grinding noise that you think will top the charts? Have some fun and help science - share your opinions and recordings!