Nt1310 Unit 1 Assignment Of Cognitive Psychology

The perceived pitch of a sound is just the ear's response to frequency, i.e., for most practical purposes the pitch is just the frequency. (“Pitch,” n.d.) Humans perceive sound more or less the same depending on how good a person can hear. High frequencies are generally produced by smaller objects such as small instruments, objects or even small animals, eg. kittens. Low frequencies are generally produced by larger objects such as large objects, instruments, eg. bass drum, or even bigger animals such as the elephant. In a similar way, our brain perceives high frequencies as “happy”, “exciting” or “lively” noises. Lower frequencies are perceived as “dark”, “sad” or depressed noises. The human brain finds high frequency melodies more attractive or better to listen to. At the same time, too many high frequencies can cause one to be annoyed. The average fundamental frequency for a typical baby is about three hundred to four hundred Hertz.(Lewis & Reserved, n.d.) Humans naturally find those frequencies annoying so that they can hear a baby when it cries. A good melody consists of a harmonic sequence. In music theory, a harmonic sequence is a series of music notes which have different pitches. If a person hears a melody consisting of high and low frequencies the brain recognizes which frequency dominates the song which activates a chain reaction in which your brain releases certain hormones which causes a mood or emotion. Soothing tunes foster the release of serotonin, a hormone that fosters happiness and a general sense of well-being. It also flushes the body with dopamine, a neurotransmitter that makes you feel
good. (“How music changes your mood,” 2013) The human brain recognises patterns, a common form of pattern is repetition. Repetition occurs in almost every song today. When we hear something for the second time or more it triggers a memory just like when we see something more than once. When a song has too much repetition the brain tends to “zone” out or become a norm. A balance of repetition and harmonic sequences create a sensation in the brain which causes it to capture moments which is easier to remember in the future.

Music has been proven to be therapeutic.
Music Therapy is an established health profession in which music is used within a therapeutic relationship to address physical, emotional, cognitive, and social needs of individuals. (2016, 1998) Many people use music therapy in their homes or surroundings without even knowing, eg. playing upbeat music in the morning
which