title: [I can hear you, but I don't understand you. Why is it so important to perceive high frequencies?].
abstract: The word personality is derived from the Latin word "persona" (mask, person); "per sona" means "by the sound or through the sound". In order to look through speech, to hear "behind the mask of a person", we have to be able to hear properly. Especially the frequencies between 2 kHz and 5 kHz and the overtones (the higher we can perceive them, the better) play a central role for decoding vowels, consonants and effects of emotions in voice and speech; beyond that they provide the perfect enjoyment of music and sound. Obviously they are also a vital physical necessity. High frequencies stimulate, they provoke attentiveness and concentration. The activity level of the reticular formation is affected by the influent of the sensory organs with a crucial role by the hearing sense. Hearing in high frequencies leads to higher metabolism, to better motility, to an activation of the gamma nervous system and to a better transfer of information.
authors.affiliation: Praxis für Musiktherapie, Musikpsychologie, Hör- und Stimmtherapie, Therapie & Praxis Nymphenburg, Hubertusstr. 22, 80639, München, Deutschland. annettecramer@t-online.de
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cramer
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D003142:Communication; D006801:Humans; D010898:Pitch Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D011304:Presbycusis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013061:Speech Acoustics; D013067:Speech Perception / Q000502:physiology*