Scientists study how mid-level noise burstsmaffect the concentration of arithmetic-solving test subjects
Noise can be distracting, especially to a person trying to concentrate on a difficult task. Studying annoying noises helps architects design better building environments and policy makers choose effective noise regulations. To better understand how short noise bursts affect humans' mental state, researchers from the University of Nebraska – Lincoln played quarter-second-long white noise clips to test subjects as they worked on arithmetic problems. The researchers noticed a slight general trend toward lower performance when louder noises were played, and also identified sound level ranges that caused participants to report significant levels of annoyance. The researchers report their findings at the 164th meeting of the Acoustical Society of America (ASA), held Oct. 22 – 26 in Kansas City, Missouri.