The effect of a noise abatement program on reading ability

Bronzaft, Arline L.

doi:10.1016/s0272-4944(81)80040-0

Cited by 89 publications

(57 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…For instance, worse reading comprehension scores were found for children in classrooms on the noisy side of a school building facing a railway line than for children on the less noisy side. 15 The differences in reading ability between the groups disappeared in a follow-up study 16 after a noise-abatement programme, which equated the noise levels on the front and back sides of the building. Similarly, Hygge et al 14 compared two experimental groups (old airport and new airport; known as the Munich Airport Study) exposed to aircraft noise and two control groups that had little exposure to aircraft noise on reading, memory and attention in a prospective study.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A prospective follow-up study of the effects of chronic aircraft noise exposure on learners’ reading comprehension in South Africa

Seabi

Cockcroft

Goldschagg

et al. 2013

J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol

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The purpose of this epidemiological study was to investigate the long-term effects of exposure to aircraft noise on reading comprehension on a sample of South African children. Given the impairment of reading comprehension found within the noised-exposed group before the relocation of the airport, it was the intention of this study to determine whether the effects of aircraft noise on reading comprehension remained after the relocation of the airport or whether they disappeared. A cohort of 732 learners with a mean age of 11.1 years participated at baseline measurements in 2009 and 650 (mean age=12.3) and 178 (mean age=13.1) learners were reassessed after the relocation of the airport in 2010 and 2011, respectively. The results revealed no significant effect of the groups on reading comprehension across the testing periods, but significant effects of home language were demonstrated on reading comprehension. These findings suggest that exposure to chronic aircraft noise may have a lasting impact on children's reading comprehension functioning.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A prospective follow-up study of the effects of chronic aircraft noise exposure on learners’ reading comprehension in South Africa

Seabi

Cockcroft

Goldschagg

et al. 2013

J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol

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“…Bronzaft and McCarthy (1975) reported worse reading comprehension for children in classrooms on the noisy side of a school building facing a railway line than for children on the less noisy side, and this gap increased with age. After a noise-abatement programme, which equated the noise levels on the front and back sides of the building, the differences in reading ability disappeared (Bronzaft, 1981). Cohen et al (1980) found no cross-sectional effects of aircraft noise on reading ability and mathematical skills, but reported a marginal improvement after a reduction of aircraft noise of 7 dBA (Cohen et al, 1981(Cohen et al, , 1986.…”

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confidence: 98%

Classroom experiments on the effects of different noise sources and sound levels on long‐term recall and recognition in children

Hygge

2003

Applied Cognitive Psychology

123

105

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A total of 1358 children aged 12-14 years participated in ten noise experiments in their ordinary classrooms and were tested for recall and recognition of a text exactly one week later. Single and combined noise sources were presented for 15 min at 66 dBA L eq (equivalent noise level). Single source presentations of aircraft and road traffic noise were also presented at 55 dBA L eq . Data were analysed between subjects since the first within-subjects analysis revealed a noise after-effect or a asymmetric transfer effect. Overall, there was a strong noise effect on recall, and a smaller, but significant effect on recognition. In the single-source studies, aircraft and road traffic noise impaired recall at both noise levels. Train noise and verbal noise did not affect recognition or recall. Some of the pairwise combinations of aircraft noise with train or road traffic, with one or the other as the dominant source, interfered with recall and recognition. Item difficulty, item position and ability did not interact with the noise effect. Arousal, distraction, perceived effort, and perceived difficulty in reading and learning did not mediate the effects on recall and recognition.

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“…It was the request of this mother that led me to carry out a study on the effects of elevated train noise on learning [19]. When we found that by the sixth grade children exposed to the passing train noise were nearly a year behind in reading compared to children on the quiet side of the school building, we then were able to use the data to abate the train noise by to persuade the Transit Authority to put rubber padding on the tracks adjacent to the school and the Board of Education to acoustically tile the classroom ceilings.…”

Section: Policy Decisions Should Reflect Research Findingsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of Noise on Health: The Divide between Policy and Science

Bronzaft¹

2017

JSS

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In her chapter "Sources of Noise" in Noise and Health, Annette Zaner [1] writes that sounds have been environmental pollutants for thousands of years, citing examples of stories of loud music in the Old Testament and noisy delivery wagons in ancient times. The Industrial Revolution and urbanization in more recent times raised the decibel levels in our communities, especially with the growth in transportation on the roads, on the rails and in the air, as well as the growth of noise polluting products. The proliferation of boom cars, cell phones and wind turbines during the past twenty years has made our world even noisier. Studies have been carried out that have demonstrated the potential impact of these noises on our mental and physical health, and there have been some efforts to lessen some of the intrusive sounds, e.g. aircraft and road traffic noise, but there is still too little attention paid to the deleterious effects of noise. While noise complaints top the list of complaints in major cities worldwide and noise even threatens the natural sound systems of our planet, there is no movement globally to address the noise pollutant. The following paper will examine the research linking noise to health effects, question why governments have not seriously attempted to lower noise levels and suggest ways to lessen the din. Doing so will not only be beneficial to our health and well-being but it would also be wise economically.

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The effect of a noise abatement program on reading ability

Cited by 89 publications

References 5 publications

A prospective follow-up study of the effects of chronic aircraft noise exposure on learners’ reading comprehension in South Africa

A prospective follow-up study of the effects of chronic aircraft noise exposure on learners’ reading comprehension in South Africa

Classroom experiments on the effects of different noise sources and sound levels on long‐term recall and recognition in children

Impact of Noise on Health: The Divide between Policy and Science

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