Some Effects of Noise on Visual Performance

Abstract

A group of ten subjects showed impaired performance, when watch-keeping on a display made up of steam-pressure gauges, in 100 db. noise as compared with 70 db. On the easier task of watch-keeping on a display made up of small lights, another group of twenty subjects showed no overall effect of noise. Individual subjects who showed a practice effect on the latter task comparable to that shown by all subjects on the former one, however, also showed a similar effect of noise. In addition, performance on the light-watching became relatively less efficient in noise with continued exposure: and although parts of the task were still adequately carried out, others were not. The fact that noise effects are thus functions of individual differences, of visibility of signal, and of length of performance in noise, allows us to explain the negative findings of many previous workers.