The angular position of a sound source affects the perception of scariness in a circular loudspeaker array

Abstract

The quality of the user experience of virtual reality systems is contingent upon the emotional impact they provide. In this context, spatial audio technology emerges as a crucial area of focus. The existing literature provides evidence that sound source localization may influence the intensity of perceived emotions. However, the exact relationship between the localization of sound sources and the variation in listeners’ emotional responses remains unclear. This study examines the impact of the angular position of selected audio sources on listeners' perception of a single emotion, namely scariness. The listening tests were conducted in an acoustically treated room equipped with a circular array of eight loudspeakers distributed in the horizontal plane. A total of 36 listeners participated in the experiment. The level of scariness perceived by the listeners was assessed subjectively using selfreports. According to the obtained results, the sound sources positioned outside of the listener’s field of view were perceived as scarier. While the observed effect was statistically significant, its magnitude was relatively small. The potential future expansion of the study and its impact on the design of virtual reality systems is discussed further.