The phenomenon of perceiving sound after seeing light is known as the "McGurk effect." It occurs due to the complex way our brain processes and integrates sensory information from multiple modalities, such as vision and hearing.
When we perceive the world around us, our brain combines information from different senses to form a coherent understanding of our environment. In the case of the McGurk effect, the brain relies heavily on visual cues to interpret auditory information.
The McGurk effect is typically demonstrated through audiovisual stimuli, where an auditory speech sound is paired with a visual representation of a different speech sound. For example, if you hear the sound "ba" while seeing a person's lips mouthing "ga," you might actually perceive the combined sound as "da."
This effect occurs because the visual information overrides or alters our perception of the auditory information, leading to a fused percept that differs from the actual auditory stimulus. The brain is constantly integrating and interpreting sensory inputs, and in the case of conflicting or ambiguous information, it can prioritize certain cues over others.
In the context of perceiving sound after seeing light in everyday situations, it is worth noting that there might be other factors at play. For instance, if you see a sudden flash of light followed by a sound, the time delay between the two stimuli might contribute to the perception of sound after seeing light. Our brain might associate the visual stimulus with the subsequent auditory stimulus, leading to the perception that the sound is following the light.
Overall, the precise mechanisms and circumstances that lead to the perception of sound after seeing light can vary depending on the specific context and individual perception. The integration of sensory information in our brain is a complex process that can sometimes result in intriguing perceptual effects like the McGurk effect.