Showing papers on "Annoyance published in 1980"

Noise: hearing loss and psychological effects.

Abstract: There are many uncertainties about the effects of noise below the level that might harm hearing. The author suggests that there is good evidence that loud noises affect well being and health in the widest sense and reviews recent research on the subject. The level of annoyance experienced depends upon the nature of the source, the circumstances, the characteristics and attitude of the individual as well as the physical features of the noise. While annoyance increases with increasing noise there is a wide range of individual variation in response. There is evidence to show that introverts cannot tolerate noise as well as extroverts while anxious people tend to judge sounds to be louder than the non-anxious. Results show that although mentally disturbed and normal people are annoyed by aircraft noise, the former are more likely to be very annoyed. The effect of noise in work performance is not always adverse. Noise increases arousal and focuses attention on the dominant features of the task at the expense of the subsiding aspects. The ability to perform complex tasks and complex intellectual functions deteriorates in the presence of noise; accuracy and the response to the unexpected suffer. Changes in noise level appear to be particularly disturbing. (TRRL)

Noise in relation to annoyance, performance, and mental health.

Abstract: There are many psychological factors which cause differences of human response to the same level of sound energy. Nevertheless, experiments have allowed these factors to be understood, at least to the extent where policy decisions can be made. The results show that increasing levels of noise increase annoyance, probably increasing the general arousal or excitability of the nervous system. This gives changes in performance which are sometimes detrimental, but not by any means always. Annoyance is associated with psychiatric ill‐health, but increases in noise do not appear to increase the proportion of people with such illness.

Effects of conversation interference on annoyance due to aircraft noise

Abstract: The annoyance and interference effects of aircraft flyover noise on face‐to‐face conversation were investigated. Twenty 5‐rain sessions of three flyovers for each session were presented to each of 20 pairs of female subjects in a simulated living room. Flyovers varied in noise level (55–79 dB A‐weighted) and spectrum (low‐or high‐frequency components). Subjects engaged in conversation for 10 sessions and in reverie for the other 10 sessions, and completed subjective ratings following every session. The ratings concerned the annoyance of the noise, the difficulty of conversing in the noise, and acceptability of the noise for conversation. Conversation interference was defined as an increase in vocal effort or cessation of talking during flyovers for each session. Annoyance was affected by noise level, but was not significantly different for the activities—reverie and conversation. A noise level of 77 dB (A‐weighted) was found to be unacceptable for conversation by 50% of the subjects. Furthermore, conversation‐interferance measures did not improve prediction of individual annoyance judgments.

Validation of annoyance scales for social surveys of community reaction to noise exposure

Abstract: Judgments of the degree to which each of a set of terms describes annoyance due to exposure to community noise sources were analyzed to produce a five interval, closed response category scale. This scale, useful for questionnaire items dealing with annoyance in social surveys of community response to noise exposure, was then used by a group of people to rate the annoyance of a set of commonly heard noise sources. Mean absolute differences in sound levels associated with each response category were determined as an aid to interpretation of the scale. Research sponsored by the Office of Noise Abatement and Control of the Environmental Protection Agency.

The relative importance of noise level and number of events on human reactions to noise: Community survey findings and study methods

Abstract: The data from seven surveys of community response to environmental noise are reanalyzed to assess the relative influence of peak noise levels and the numbers of noise events on human response. The surveys do not agree on the value of the tradeoff between the effects of noise level and numbers of events. The value of the tradeoff cannot be confidently specified in any survey because the tradeoff estimate may have a large standard error of estimate and because the tradeoff estimate may be seriously biased by unknown noise measurement errors. Some evidence suggests a decrease in annoyance with very high numbers of noise events but this evidence is not strong enough to lead to the rejection of the conventionally accepted assumption that annoyance is related to a log transformation of the number of noise events.

Annoyances due to multiple airplane noise exposure

Abstract: A laboratory study was conducted to investigate the annoyance effects of multiple aircraft noise exposure in which 250 subjects judged the annoyance of half-hour periods of airplane noise simulative of typical indoor home exposures. The variables of the aircraft noise exposure were the peak noise level of flyovers, which was constant within each period, and the number of flyovers. Each subject judged 5 of the possible 25 factorial combinations of level and number. Other variables investigated included the experience of the test subjects in making annoyance judgments and their home exposure to airplane noise. The annoyance judgments increased with both noise level and number of flyovers. The increased annoyance produced by doubling the number of flyovers was found to be the equivalent of a 4 to 6 db increase in noise level. The sensitivity of the subjects to changes in both noise level and number of flyovers increased with laboratory experience. Although the means of the annoyance judgments made in the laboratory were found to decrease with the subjects' home exposure to aircraft noise, the subjects' sensitivities to changes in both level and number were unaffected by their home exposure.

Community response to noise from a general aviation airport

Abstract: The paper provides relationships between noise level and response variables through an analysis of social survey and physical data collected around a small general aviation airport. The responses investigated included annoyance, activity interference, health effects, and non-noise effects of general aviation traffic, such as fear of crashes, air pollution, aircraft lights, house vibration, and television interference. Results indicate a much higher response than that predicted by Schultz (1978), e.g., at 30 NEF, Schultz predicts approximately 15% highly annoyed, compared with 28% in this study.

Effect of increased noise levels by supersonic aircraft on annoyance levels and time estimations.

Abstract: Several tests designed to assess the effects of increased noise levels created by the Concorde supersonic aircraft were administered to 48 residents living around Dulles International Airport and 31 persons not living near an airport Results of a pretest questionnaire and lack of significant changes in annoyance levels and time estimations indicate that, while airport-area residents may be more conscious of aircraft noise, changes in the perceived intensities of sounds may not occur Language: en

The noise response relationship near a freeway

Abstract: A correlation analysis is reported relating the noise annoyance of 142 respondents near the south east freeway in Brisbane to noise levels measured at 17 locations. No relationship was found between individuals' annoyance scores and noise levels. However, respondent opinion of the neighbourhood and noise annoyance susceptibility were together found to explain 16 per cent of the variance in individual scores. Median annoyance scores for groups of respondents also were not significantly related to noise levels. It is suggested that these non significant correlations have resulted from the small range and lower magnitude of noise levels relative to those pertaining in similar studies overseas. While the present data do not assist determination of maximum noise levels for use in roadway and land use planning, one can be confident that an l10 (18h) of 60 db (a) would generally be regarded as 'acceptable'. Acceptable levels in terms of leq (1h) and l10 (1h) are also given. However, there is need to be cautious in applying these results to locations where noise level variability has not been similarly reduced through distance attenuation.

Annoyance due to noise and air pollution to the residents of heavily frequented streets

Abstract: The residents of different streets with varying traffic density and building density were questioned about annoyance due to traffic noise and air pollution. Results show that annoyance felt is dependent not only on the measured noise levels and/or air pollution concentrations, but that there do exist interactions between the residential quarters and annoyance. These interactions should be considered when fixing the limits and standards.

Does aircraft noise affect health

Abstract: A field study of the Institute of Behavioral Sciences at the Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich, has verified that aircraft noise effects severe annoyance and inconvenience of airport area residents. This causes irritation, which manifests itself in numerous negative intentions, attitudes and opinions, in actions and meaures and even in psychosomatic disorders. Moreover noise exerts influence on vegetative reactions of persons performing different activities, mostly if they have to concentrate on a task. Language: de

The French method (of representing noise annoyance)

Abstract: The psophic index used in France for noise exposure from aircraft globally represents the annoyance with the following hypotheses: (1) the global annoyance is a function of the number of aircraft overflights of each type but does not depend on the overflight time; (2) an aircraft flying at night is considered to be just as annoying as 10 aircraft of the same type passing overhead during the day; and (3) and annoyance is only a function of the peak noise levels. Overall, the psophic index appears statistically as good a representation of the average annoyance as methods used in other countries; however, it does seem to reflect poorly the annoyance caused by light aircraft. Noise maps produced for Orly, Roissy, and the area around Paris are described. The range of applications and limitations of the psophic index are discussed.

Contribution of indoor and outdoor effects to annoyance at noise in residential areas

Abstract: Policy guidelines establishing noise level limits for residential areas affected by road and aircraft noise have considered only the overall annoyance due to the noise. The relative contribution to overall annoyance of separate indoor and outdoor effects have not been considered, although these have major implications for noise control policies. This paper assesses the relative importance of indoor and outdoor effects for general annoyance toward the noise source.

Adaptation to changes in aircraft noise exposure

Abstract: Changes in the pervasiveness of community annoyance associated with a series of major changes in aircraft noise exposure in the vicinity of an airport with appreciable air carrier traffic were assessed. Repeated rounds of interviews at intervals of several weeks were conducted in four neighborhoods near the airport before and after the changes in exposure. Attempts were made, both in person and by telephone, to administer a brief and direct questionnaire to adult residents of all affected households in each neighborhood while concurrent long term noise exposure measurements were being made. Findings include substantial immediate effects of exposure changes, while suggesting the time course of adaptation to aircraft noise exposure.

The annoyance caused by noise around airports

Abstract: A comprehensive study of noise around selected airports in France was performed. By use of questionnaires, the degree of annoyance caused by aircraft noise was determined. Three approaches used in the study were: (1) analytical study on the influence of noise on sleep; (2) sociological study on the satisfaction of occupants of buildings which conform to laws which are supposed to guarantee sufficient comfort; and (3) statistical study of correlations between external noises and psychological and pathological disturbances in residences.

Effects of Conversation ,,on Annoyance Due to Interference Aircraft Noise

Abstract: SUMMARY The annoyance and interference effects of aircraft flyover noise on face- to-face mnversation were investigated. Twenty 5-minute sessions of three fly- overs each session were presented to each of 20 pairs of female subjects in a simulated living roam. Flyovers varied in noise level (55 to 79 dB, A-weighted) and spectrum (low- or high-frequency components). Subjects engaged in conver- sation for 10 sessions and in reverie for the other 10 sessions, and completed subjective ratings following every session. The ratings concerned the annoyance of the noise, the difficulty of conversing in the noise, and the acceptability of the noise for conversation. Conversation interference was defined as an increase in vocal effort or a cessation of talking during a flyover. Annoyance was affected by noise level but was not significantly different for the activities of reverie and conversation. A noise level of 77 dB