The Effect of Traffic Noise on Divided Attention and Perception Concerning Individual Role Differences: An Experimental Study

Ahmad      Mehri; Mohammad Amin        Rashidi; Amir Hossein Rashidi; Milad        Abbasi; Farough Mohammadian; Kamaladdin Abedi; Ebrahim Darvishi

doi:10.18502/avr.v32i1.11312

Ahmad Mehri School of Public Health, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
Mohammad Amin Rashidi Student Research Committee, School of Public Health and Safety, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Amir Hossein Rashidi Department of Audiology, School of Rehabilitation, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Milad Abbasi Social Determinates of Health Research Center, Saveh University of Medical Sciences, Saveh, Iran
Farough Mohammadian Environmental Health Research Center, Research Institute for Health Development, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran
Kamaladdin Abedi Environmental Health Research Center, Research Institute for Health Development, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran
Ebrahim Darvishi Environmental Health Research Center, Research Institute for Health Development, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/avr.v32i1.11312

Abstract

Background and Aim: Noise pollution is one of the urban problems that can affect the exposed individuals’ cognitive function. This study set to investigate the impact of traffic noise on drivers’ cognitive variables including perceptual capacity, speed of perception, and divided attention concerning the role of individual orientation and neuroticism.

Methods: This study recruited 35 male student participants. The Eysenck personality questionnaire was used to evaluate the participants’personalities (neuroticism and extroversion). Participants were then exposed to traffic noise, and the Adaptive Tachistoscopic Traffic Perception Test (ATTPT) was performed to assess their capacity and speed of perception. The Peripheral Perception Test (PPT) was also conducted to evaluate the divided attention using the Vienna test system software.

Results: Introverted and stable individuals had better performance in perceptual capacity and speed of perception tasks after exposure to traffic noise. However, these effects were not observed in extrovert and unstable individuals. This study also showed no significant alterations in variables in extroverted (introverted/extroverted) subjects with neuroticism (unstable/stable) concerning divided attention tasks after traffic noise exposure.

Conclusion: This study showed that divided attention in extrovert individuals with neuroticism was not influenced by traffic noise exposure. But perceptual capacity and perception speed was influenced by traffic noise in introverts and unstable subjects.

Keywords: Traffic noise; divided attention; perception; individual differences