Sound has always had a way of triggering various responses in human beings, whether that be fight or flight, a certain emotion or an extreme physical reaction. The associations we give certain sounds act as prompts, carrying information that activate our Reticular Activation System.
While some sounds can be linked to personal circumstances in ones life, stereotypically, many sounds will hold a universal meaning, such as the ring of a fire alarm or the sound of lightning. Yet, as people move through life and experience different things, these same sounds can trigger deep emotions based on the emotional information we associate them with as a result.
An example of this is the condition Misphonia, where exposure tio certain sounds can cause visceral reactions such as panic attacks, due to conditioning. In a general sense, sounds we find unpleasant, such as the scraping of cutlery, lies in the frequency of 2000 to 4000hz, the range that humans are most sensitive too. Evolutionary purposes suggest that sounds in this frequency range suggest a potential threat. Pleasurable sonic stimuli, such as music however, releases dopamines in our brains, bringing a level of internal euphoria via the episodic memories we attach to certain songs.
Despite conditioning, sounds affect us in similar ways, and in here lies the power to link people on a subconscious level.