A perceptual and epistemological bias ranking vision over other senses in Western Culture (Oxford Reference). In art this bias creates a hierarchy between different aesthetically mediums, affecting the medium context to society. An example of this is how visual art is highly rewarded above other mediums, being often connoted with high society. Ocular-centrism and its impact within culture create a great opportunity to racial and cultural discrimination, as it creates a narrative of intellectual superiority to the other senses, and by so other cultures that are not vision centred are denominated as primitive . This gave the rise of the concept of Anthropology of the senses, that studies human behaviour through time by the medium of the senses.

Connecting back to sound, it’s imperative to understand the massive rule visual stimuli has through the development and creation of sound compositions. Visual aesthetic will always play a part in experiencing sound. If you hear a record, you will be influence by the art work in its cover. If you visit a sound installation, the limiting visual boundaries will impact the piece itself. In someway this visual dominance is impossible to escape, but when the senses relate to a specific sense culture or ethnic background, it’s important to dissolve the ocular centrism bias.

Artistic performances are also greatly dominated by ocular centrism, this can lead to waste of experience possibilities. Let’s take for example the western classical music concert, where the audience sits patiently and observes the musicians. Experiencing the music in a reserved and elegant way. This sonic practice comes directly from a social privilege, adopting the sense of sight as their own, and contrasting themselves from lower classes that are denominated with other senses. In this case the concert hall is a loss of experiencing potential, because sound is perceive not foley by the ears, sitting id not even the most convenient acoustic position. Also sound and music can express in the individual to dance or move, the concert hall limits this movement from the audience, just to impose higher class behaviour.