Showing papers on "Annoyance published in 1981"
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors study how the loudness of constituents in pairs of community noises combines into total annoyance, i.e., the total loudness equals the loudest of the component noises when heard alone.
Abstract: The purpose of the experiment was to study how the loudness (or annoyance) of the constituents in pairs of community noises combines into total loudness (or total annoyance). Three community noises (pile driving, jack hammering, street traffic) were combined pairwise at different sound levels. The observers judged the total loudness of the combined noises as well as the loudness of each component noise when heard alone. Three models of loudness (or annoyance) summation for noise were tested: a vector summation model, a model assuming that the loudnesses of the masked constituent noises add arithmetically, and a simple model stating that the total loudness equals the loudest of the component noises when heard alone. All three models fitted the data satisfactorily from a statistical point of view. The ’’loudest component’’ model was favored because it produced a prediction error of only 14% in the ’’worst case’’ and can, therefore, serve as a ’’rule of thumb’’ for many practical purposes.
49 citations
TL;DR: In areas exposed to high noise the use of non-prescribed drugs was significantly higher among 'very annoyed' than among 'less annoyed' respondents, and the uptake of psychotropic drugs tended to increase with increasing annoyance both in high- and low-noise areas.
Abstract: A domiciliary survey (sample size circa 6000) was conducted in areas of different aircraft noise exposure affected by London (Heathrow) Airport. Respondents were urban dwellers aged 16+. Their use of medicines, general practitioner services, hospital facilities and community services were investigated in relation both to the level of aircraft noise and to the degree of annoyance it causes. None of the indicators showed higher uptake in the high noise areas. The relationships between health indicators, noise and annoyance were not uniform. In areas exposed to high noise the use of non-prescribed drugs was significantly higher among ‘very annoyed’ than among ‘less annoyed’ respondents. The uptake of psychotropic drugs, and the use of general practice and out-patient services, tended to increase with increasing annoyance both in high- and low-noise areas, but the differences were not in all cases statistically significant. Parallels were drawn between these results and those of earlier analyses of the same survey related to the prevalence of acute and chronic symptoms. Suggestions for the analysis and interpretation of health effects of noise are put forward.
45 citations
TL;DR: In this article, an attempt has been made to produce a standardized annoyance scale with descriptors marking clear semantic distinctions, roughly equidistant from each other, and having wide acceptability.
30 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the annoyance of intruding noises in video games was measured by asking participants to indicate when intruding sounds of varying detectability were noticed in the presence of background noise.
26 citations
TL;DR: No direct relationship between learning to perform a complex task while exposed to noise and annoyance by that noise was demonstrated, and high frequency noises were more annoying than low frequency noises regardless of sex.
Abstract: Effects of noise frequencies on both performance on a complex psychomotor task and annoyance were investigated for men (n = 30) and women (n = 30). Each subject performed a complex psychomotor task for 50 min in the presence of low-frequency noise, high-frequency noise, or ambient noise. Women and men learned the task at different rates. Little effect of noise was shown. Annoyance ratings were subsequently obtained from each subject for noises of various frequencies by the method of magnitude estimation. High-frequency noises were more annoying than low-frequency noises regardless of sex and immediate prior exposure to noise. Sex differences in annoyance did not occur. No direct relationship between learning to perform a complex task while exposed to noise and annoyance by that noise was demonstrated.
18 citations
Journal Article•
17 citations
TL;DR: The results of four Swiss field studies of the relation between noise and annoyance in housing areas are presented and compared with those of recent studies elsewhere as mentioned in this paper, where the degree of annoyance is taken to be the percentage of people "highly annoyed" and the ratio (noise level)/(% "highly annoyance" is found to be a non-linear function.
15 citations
Journal Article•
TL;DR: Factor analysis and discriminant analysis results sustained hypotheses that residents of areas where crashes have occurred should express more annoyance and those in the crash area would express more fear and would more often identify aircraft as a noise source.
Abstract: If, as has been suggested, expressions of annoyance attributable to aircraft noise may reflect, in part, fear of aircraft overflights and possible crashes, then residents of areas where crashes have occurred should express more annoyance. To test this hypothesis, 50 residents of an Albany, New York area where an aircraft crash producing fatalities recently occurred, and 50 residents of a comparable nearby area without such a history, were asked to respond to a "Quality of Life" questionnaire. Among the items were some designed to test annoyance by noise and fear of aircraft overflights. It was predicted that those in the crash area would express more fear and would more often identify aircraft as a noise source. Factor analysis and discriminant analysis results sustained these hypotheses. A near-replication was carried out in Louisville, Kentucky; results were much the same. For the crash-area groups there was association of aircraft fear and noise annoyance responses; this was true to an apparently lesser extent for non-crash-area groups. The greater annoyance of crash groups by aircraft community noise apparently does not carry over to assessment of aircraft noise in the laboratory. Language: en
11 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a listening experiment with a variety of sounds of equal L A was conducted, and the annoyance due to the sounds was rated by twelve subjects, whose individual ratings show significant agreement.
10 citations
TL;DR: In this article, corona noise was rated as more annoying than ambient noise conditions near the transmission lines and higher frequency portions (above 500 Hz) of the corona spectrum contributed most to annoyance, although lower frequencies also contributed.
Abstract: Sample recordings of corona noise from extra-high voltage transmission lines, corona noise recordings with spectral modifications, samples of other environmental sounds, and artificial reference sounds were presented to 19 participants while they viewed television in a simulated living room Each sound was rated for both annoyance and the extra concentration required for television viewing Despite relatively low sound levels, corona noise was rated more annoying than ambient noise conditions near the lines Higher frequency portions (above 500 Hz) of the corona noise spectrum contributed most to annoyance, although lower frequencies also contributed Noise measurement scales that give more emphasis to higher frequencies (A- and D-weighted sound levels) appeared more accurate predictors of annoyance ratings than was unweighted sound pressure level The results closely paralleled data derived from experiments employing nonverbal measures of noise aversiveness
8 citations
TL;DR: A previous study in Hong Kong schools suggested that high levels of traffic noise disturbed a higher proportion of teachers than occupants of dwellings The further study described, uses the limited subjective responses from the original study to provide a preliminary assessment of the effect of noise Measurements of "a-weighted" noise, made inside the noisiest classroom of each of 47 schools, were correlated with assessments of traffic noises annoyance graded on a seven-point scale varying from "not annoyed" to "very annoyed".
TL;DR: In this paper, a study conducted in the vicinity of Salt Lake City International Airport, community residents reported their annoyance with individual aircraft flyovers during rating sessions conducted in their homes, and annoyance ratings were obtained at different times of the day.
Abstract: In a study conducted in the vicinity of Salt Lake City International Airport, community residents reported their annoyance with individual aircraft flyovers during rating sessions conducted in their homes. Annoyance ratings were obtained at different times of the day. Aircraft noise levels were measured, and other characteristics of the aircraft were noted by trained observers. Metrics commonly used for assessing aircraft noise were compared, but none performed significantly better than A-weighted sound pressure level. A significant difference was found between the ratings of commercial jet aircraft and general aviation propeller aircraft, with the latter being judged less annoying. After the effects of noise level were accounted for, no significant differences were found between the ratings of landings and takeoffs. Aircraft noise annoyance reactions are stronger in lowered ambient noise conditions. This is consistent with the theory that reduced nighttime and evening ambient levels could create different reactions at different times of day. After controlling for ambient noise in a multiple regression analysis, no significant differences were found between the ratings of single events obtained during the three time periods: morning, afternoon, and evenings.
01 Nov 1981
TL;DR: The effects of aircraft flyover noise on annoyance were compared for face-to-face conversation, reverie, and television viewing as mentioned in this paper, where subjects completed subjective ratings of annoyance and acceptability following every session.
Abstract: The effects of aircraft flyover noise on annoyance were compared for face to face conversation, reverie, and television viewing. Eighteen 5 minute sessions, each composed of three flyovers, were presented on each of 2 days to subjects in a simulated living room. Twelve pairs of females and 12 pairs of males were tested, once before and once after work. Flyovers varied in peak noise level from 53 to 83 dB, A weighted. On each day, subjects engaged in 18 sessions, six of conversation, six of television viewing, and six of reverie. The subjects completed subjective ratings of annoyance and acceptability following every session. Annoyance and unacceptability rating scores were significantly higher for the activity of television viewing compared to conversation or reverie. There was no difference between judgments during the latter two activities. No differences were found in the judgments when compared on the basis of "fatigue" (before/after work) or sex of the subject.
01 Jun 1981
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors conducted a survey in the Fort Bragg/Fayetteville, NC area and found that to the extent normal sources like airplanes fit an energy model (such as the day/night average sound level (DNL), impulse noise also fits an EE model, and the growth of annoyance levels in a community with increases of loudness occurs similarly for impulse noise and for aircraft and helicopters.
Abstract: : This report gives the results of a noise-impact attitudinal survey done in the Fort Bragg/Fayetteville, NC, area. It shows that to the extent normal sources like airplanes fit an energy model (such as the day/night average sound level (DNL), impulse noise also fits an energy model. The growth of annoyance levels in a community with increases of loudness occurs similarly for impulse noise and for aircraft and helicopters. The growth of annoyance in a community with increases in the frequency of occurrence of events occurs in a similar way for all noises, except that the integration period for impulse noise apparently extends down to 'once every few months,' whereas annoyance all but dies away for other noises when the frequency of occurrence drops this low. All types of noise sources have roughly the same nighttime noise penalty -- 7 to 10 dB. C-weighting is the best available standard measure; a C-weighted DNL (CDNL) which includes no threshold or impulse correction factor offers the best model to describe community response. To establish an equivalency between CDNL levels used to assess impulse noise and A-weighted DNL (ADNL) levels used to assess other noise, it is necessary to find a common denominator. It is recommended that the percent of the community 'highly annoyed' in a given noise climate be that common denominator. With this common denominator, about 6 dB must be added to the numerical value of the CDNL level. (Author)
Journal Article•
01 Oct 1981
TL;DR: The authors summarizes the literature dealing with the adverse response of people to time-varying noise, and identifies both the acoustical and non-acoustical factors that influence the relationship between time varying noise and annoyance.
Abstract: This report summarizes the literature dealing with the adverse response of people to time-varying noise, and identifies both the acoustical and non-acoustical factors that influence the relationship between time-varying noise and annoyance. An examination of the laboratory research concerned with the functional relationship between annoyance and the temporal and acoustic parameters of noise shows the tenuousness of such relationships. The adequacy of currently used and/or proposed rating procedures for predicting subjective response to time-varying noise is examined. Critical gaps in current knowledge are identified.
01 May 1981
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors compared the results of the environmental survey of 1973 on the subjective noise stress experienced within buildings but caused by outside factors and suggested suggestions for suitable measures to describe the traffic noise and to derive limit values are given considering the relationship between number of vehicles and noise and annoyance.
Abstract: Measurements of traffic noise during the day were taken at 90 measurement points over the urban area of Vienna; in addition, the vehicle frequency ascertained at the individual measurement points was also noted. Results of these objective measurements or various characteristic single values derived from them are compared with the results of the environmental survey of 1973 on the subjective noise stress experienced within buildings but caused by outside factors. Suggestions for suitable measures to describe the traffic noise and to derive limit values are given considering the relationship between number of vehicles and noise and annoyance.
01 Dec 1981
TL;DR: In this paper, the annoyance response of people to the noise of propeller airplane flyovers was examined, and the specific items of interest were: (1) the annoyance prediction ability of current noise metrics; (2) the effect of tone corrections on prediction ability; (3) duration corrections and (4) critical band corrections on the prediction ability.
Abstract: The annoyance response of people to the noise of propeller airplane flyovers was examined The specific items of interest were: (1) the annoyance prediction ability of current noise metrics; (2) the effect of tone corrections on prediction ability; (3) the effect of duration corrections on prediction ability; and (4) the effect of 'critical band' corrections on the prediction ability of perceived noise level Preliminary analyses of the data obtained from two experiments are presented The first experiment examined 11 propeller airplanes with maximum takeoff weights greater than or equal to 5700 kg The second experiment examined 14 propeller airplanes weighting 5700 kg or less Also included in each experiment were five different commercial service jet airplanes Each airplane noise was presented at D-weighted sound pressure levels of 70, 80, and 90 dB to subjects in a testing room which simulates the outdoor acoustic environment Subjects judged 108 stimuli in the first experiment and 132 stimuli in the second experiment Perceived noise level predicted annoyance better than A, D, or E-weighted sound pressure level Corrections for tones greater than of equal to 500 Hz generally improved prediction ability for the heavier propeller airplanes
01 Dec 1981
TL;DR: In this article, the authors evaluated the potential contribution of heavy truck noise of the impulsive character of exhaust noise created by engine compression-release braking devices to the overall annoyance of heavy trucks.
Abstract: The research described in this report was undertaken to evaluate the potential contribution to the overall annoyance of heavy truck noise of the impulsive character of exhaust noise created by engine compression-release braking devices. Although growing numbers of trucks are likely to be equipped with these safety devices in the future, current methods for assessing health and welfare effects of traffic noise on residential populations make on specific provision for annoyance associated with impulsive noise sources. The two major goals of the current research were (1) to quantify the impulsive emissions generated by compression-release engine brakes in the course of typical operation of heavy vehicles so equipped, and (2) to quantify the annoyance associated with such emissions. A program of physical field measurements designed to meet the first goal is described in Section III of this report. Subjective judgment experimentation conducted under laboratory conditions to meet the second goal is reported in Section IV.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors give an indication of those factors which are known to influence human reactions to noise, and they recommend the use of annoyance or dissatisfaction as a measure of perceived environmental quality and recommend the adoption of the Leq unit for noise measurements.
Abstract: This paper sets out to give an indication of those factors which are known to influence human reactions to noise. Furthermore, it recommends the use of annoyance or dissatisfaction as a measure of perceived environmental quality and it recommends the adoption of the Leq unit for noise measurements. Finally, it describes the results of some recent research that has helped to solve some of the problems that have occurred.
01 May 1981
TL;DR: The state of health and noise annoyance among persons living in areas near Okecie airport exposed to various intensities of noise was evaluated in this paper, where very high annoyance effects of airplane noise of intensities over 100 dB (A) were established.
Abstract: The state of health and noise annoyance among persons living in areas near Okecie airport exposed to various intensities of noise was evaluated. Very high annoyance effects of airplane noise of intensities over 100 dB (A) were established. A connection between the airplane noise and certain ailments complained about by the inhabitants was demonstrated.
01 May 1981
TL;DR: The extent to which annoyance estimated by an isopsophic index is a good forecaster for annoyance perceived near airport approaches was investigated in this article, where an index of sensed annoyance was constructed, and the relationship between the annoyance index and the isopophoric index was studied.
Abstract: The extent to which annoyance estimated by an isopsophic index is a good forecaster for annoyance perceived near airport approaches was investigated. An index of sensed annoyance is constructed, and the relationship between the annoyance index and the isopsophic index is studied.
01 Sep 1981
TL;DR: The effects of aircraft noise on humans living near airports were studied in this article, where two main questions were considered: do residents give evidence of psychological or physiological disturbances in unusually intense noise sectors; and do personality or health factors account for the high interindividual variability of annoyance?
Abstract: The effects of aircraft noise on humans living near airports were studied. Two main questions were considered: do residents give evidence of psychological or physiological disturbances in unusually intense noise sectors; and do personality or health factors account for the high interindividual variability of annoyance? The methodology used and results obtained are presented. Samples of the survey questionnaires are included.
01 May 1981
TL;DR: In this paper, the annoyance factor caused by air traffic noise on the residents of areas near airports is discussed and the psophic index is used to predict the level of overall annoyance suffered on the average by residents around airports.
Abstract: The annoyance factor caused by air traffic noise on the residents of areas near airports is discussed. The psophic index is used to predict the level of overall annoyance suffered on the average by residents around airports. The calculation method differentiates between daytime and nighttime annoyance.
01 May 1981
TL;DR: A survey of 5,000 individuals living around Orly Airport is described in this article, where the psobic index was used as the noise index which indicated the intensity of the annoyance experienced by people living around the airport.
Abstract: A survey of 5,000 individuals living around Orly Airport is described. The psobic index was used as the noise index which indicated the intensity of the annoyance experienced by people living around the airport. The results indicate that sensitivity to noise is related to certain personal factors.
TL;DR: In this paper, a probabilistic model linking noise, reported activity interference, annoyance due directly to the activity interference and overall annoyance is proposed to identify acoustical insulation requirements for different noise environments, as well as permitting identification of those aspects of outdoor noise which lead to indoor speech interference and annoyance.
Abstract: Noise criteria for buildings are often set on the basis of expected annoyance levels, which in turn may be seen as a function of activity interference, particularly speech or sleep disturbance The relationships between various physical measures of noise, reported activity interference, annoyance due directly to the activity interference, and overall annoyance are as yet not clear This paper describes a probabilistic model linking these variables, and presents a preliminary test of the model using a small data set Houses exposed to road traffic noise and aircraft noise were chosen At each house, detailed noise measurements were taken simultaneously outside and inside the house, using two real time one‐third octave band analyzers In addition, a member of the household was asked about activity interference around the house, and about overall annoyance These data permit feasibility tests of the model, which will later be tested on a more extensive data set If successful, the model will help to identify acoustical insulation requirements for different noise environments, as well as permitting identification of those aspects of outdoor noise which lead to indoor speech interference and annoyance This in turn is essential information for setting indoor noise criteria