THE EFFECT OF TASK-IRRELEVANT SOUNDS ON COGNITIVE PERFORMANCE

摘要

The effects of background sounds on cognitive performance are of greatrelevance to the study of efficiency in work environments such as officesand flight deck, where the presence of extraneous auditory stimuli iscommon. A number of laboratory studies have shown large and consistentdisruption of performance, despite participants* consciously trying toignore the task-irrelevant sounds. This breakdown of selective attentionsuggests that unattended sound is processed to some extent and that thisprocess interferes with processing task-relevant information. The featuresof the sounds and those of the tasks, which augment and reduce thedegree of disruption, as well as the practical implications of thosefindings, are discussed in this review.