The Effects of Ambient Noise upon Signal Detection

Mirabella, Angelo; Goldstein, Donald A.

doi:10.1177/001872086700900309

Cited by 13 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…The failure to find an effect of the auditory stimulation is consistent with the results of vigilance work with adults (Mirabella & Goldstein, 1967) and with research on the distractibility of hyperactive and related clinical populations (Traver & Hallahan, 1974). Extraneous stimulation does not detract from the performance of normals or of highly active children.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 78%

“…The effects of some variables are more complex. For example, it has been found that extraneous stimulation, usually in the form of noise, music, or verbalizations, may have no effect on or may improve performance (Mirabella & Goldstein, 1967). McGrath and Harabedian (1963) found that interval length, the time between two critical stimuli, was related to performance for adults, whereas Kirchner and Knopf (1974) found no such relationship for children.…”

Section: Reliable Mechanical Methods Of Measuring Activity Level Have...mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Differences in the vigilance performance of highly active and normal second-grade males under four experimental conditions.

Kirchner¹

1976

Journal of Educational Psychology

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The subjects were 64 middle-class, white, second-grade males who were selected on the basis of teacher ratings to form highly active and normally active groups. Subjects were tested on a 48-min. vigilance task in which the critical stimulus was a change in the color of a star located on a cut-out of a jet. Four conditions were used: a control, a feedback about signal occurrence, an extraneous auditory stimulation, and a verbal reminder to pay attention. The highly active group made fewer correct detections than did the control group. Detection efficiency was inversely related to interval length, and this effect was more pronounced for the highly active group. There were no effects of any of the experimental conditions.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 78%

Section: Reliable Mechanical Methods Of Measuring Activity Level Have...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Differences in the vigilance performance of highly active and normal second-grade males under four experimental conditions.

Kirchner¹

1976

Journal of Educational Psychology

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“…In the 1950s, Broadbent (1953Broadbent ( , 1954Broadbent ( , 1955Broadbent ( , 1957aBroadbent ( , 1958b claims that continuous broadband noise of a sound pressure level at or above 100 dB has a detrimental effect upon work which is distinct from the effects of noise in masking. The claim is subsequently publicized by other authors in reviews on the effects of noise, in journals (Miller, 1974;Mirabella& Goldstein, 1967;Plutchik, 1959) and in books (Burns, 1973;Davies & Tune, 1970;Kryter, 1970;Poulton, 1970). Of all the reviewers, only Kryter refuses to believe Broadbent.…”

Section: Broadbent's "Breakthrough"mentioning

confidence: 99%

Continuous intense noise masks auditory feedback and inner speech.

Poulton¹

1977

Psychological Bulletin

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During World War II, the late S. S. Stevens (1972) concluded that continuous intense noise does not degrade human performance, except by masking auditory cues. In the 1950s (1953, 1954, 1955, 1957, 1958), D. E. Broadbent claimed that continuous intense noise does affect people directly, by a mechanism other than masking. But recent experimental checks indicate that masking of the auditory feedback cues occurred in Broadbent's early experiments and in experiments reported subsequently by others. The auditory feedback tells the man that his response has been recorded. This is a help when there is a confusing directional relationship between control and display, when the control buttons are difficult to locate, and when considerable control pressure is required. Sometimes the auditory feedback helps to augment inadequate visual feedback. The remaining experiments in which continuous intense noise reliably degrades performance involve verbal working memory. Here, the noise can be said to interfere with or mask inner speech. Yet current explanations of the detrimental effects of continuous intense noise usually follow Broadbent and ignore masking in favor of nonspecific concepts like distraction, the funneling of attention, or overarousal. (70 ref)

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“…Thus, without denying that masking could be the cause of his own experimental results, Broadbent gives the reader a strong impression that it is not. Since Broadbent's three reviews, his claim that continuous noise has a direct detrimental effect upon work that is distinct from the effects of noise in masking sound, has been widely quoted (Burns, 1973;Davies & Tune, 1970;Kryter, 1970;Miller, 1974;Mirabella & Goldstein, 1967;Plutchik, 1959;Poulton, 1970). Kryter is the only one of the authors who refuses to believe Broadbent.…”

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confidence: 99%

A new look at the effects of noise: A rejoinder.

Poulton¹

1978

Psychological Bulletin

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Outlines a composite theory to account for the effects of noise upon performance. The 4 main determinants are (a) masking, both of acoustic cues and of inner speech; (b) distraction; (c) a beneficial increase in arousal when the noise begins, which gradually lessens and falls below normal to produce a decrement in performance when the noise stops; and (d) positive and negative transfer from noise to quiet. Positive transfer results from the more effective learning of the task in noise under the influence of the increase in arousal. Negative transfer results from the techniques of performance used in noise to counteract the masking or distraction, when they are not appropriate in quiet. (49 ref)

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The Effects of Ambient Noise upon Signal Detection

Cited by 13 publications

References 27 publications

Differences in the vigilance performance of highly active and normal second-grade males under four experimental conditions.

Differences in the vigilance performance of highly active and normal second-grade males under four experimental conditions.

Continuous intense noise masks auditory feedback and inner speech.

A new look at the effects of noise: A rejoinder.

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