Working in and with Noise: The Impact of Audio Environment on Attention
Abstract
This study examined the relationship between audio environment and attention. Although background noise has generally been assumed to be distracting, recent research has suggested that the opposite may be true. Attention was assessed in 27 participants using a continuous performance test under three different noise conditions: exposure to ambient noise (the control), pink noise, and a television audio track. Participants’ attention was significantly improved in pink noise as compared to the ambient noise, whereas no differences were found between the ambient and television conditions. These findings suggest that notall noise is created equal when it comes to paying attention.
Published
2016-08-23
Issue
Section
SCIENTIFIC FEATURES
© International Society for Neurofeedback and Research (ISNR), all rights reserved. This article (the “Article”) may be accessed online from ISNR at no charge. The Article may be viewed online, stored in electronic or physical form, or archived for research, teaching, and private study purposes. The Article may be archived in public libraries or university libraries at the direction of said public library or university library. Any other reproduction of the Article for redistribution, sale, resale, loan, sublicensing, systematic supply, or other distribution, including both physical and electronic reproduction for such purposes, is expressly forbidden. Preparing or reproducing derivative works of this article is expressly forbidden. ISNR makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy or completeness of any content in the Article. From 1995 to 2013 the Journal of Neurotherapy was the official publication of ISNR (www. Isnr.org); on April 27, 2016 ISNR acquired the journal from Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. In 2014, ISNR established its official open-access journal NeuroRegulation (ISSN: 2373-0587; www.neuroregulation.org).