Dogs Barking and Babies Crying: The Effect of Environmental Noise on Physiological State and Cognitive Performance

28 Pages Posted: 13 Sep 2022

See all articles by Catarina Mendonça

Catarina Mendonça

University of the Azores

Ana Arruda

University of the Azores

Carolina Mesquita

University of the Azores

Rodrigo Couto

University of the Azores

Vanessa Sousa

University of the Azores

Abstract

The exposure to some environmental sounds is known to have detrimental effects on health and might affect the performance in some cognitive tasks. In this study we analyze specifically the effect of neighborhood noises, such as a baby crying and dogs barking, on the autonomic response and cognitive function. More specifically, 20 participants were exposed, in separate sessions, to either white noise, a baby crying, a small dog barking, or a large dog barking. During each session, heart rate, skin conductance, reaction times, spatial memory and mathematical processing measures were taken. It was found that the baby crying and dog barking sounds led to significantly higher heart rates and skin conductance levels as opposed to exposure to white noise. Results were not as consistent with exposure to barking as they were to the baby. Exposure to the baby crying and dogs barking led to faster reaction times, possibly as a consequence of a facilitation by the autonomic system activation. No significant effect on spatial memory were found. Conversely, participants performed significantly worse and slower in a mathematical task when exposed to the dog and baby sounds, than when exposed to control noise.

Keywords: Noise, environmental, neighbourhood, cognition, impact, human

Suggested Citation

Mendonça, Catarina and Arruda, Ana and Mesquita, Carolina and Couto, Rodrigo and Sousa, Vanessa, Dogs Barking and Babies Crying: The Effect of Environmental Noise on Physiological State and Cognitive Performance. Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4218179

Catarina Mendonça (Contact Author)

University of the Azores ( email )

P.O. Box 1422
9501-801 Ponta Delgada
Portugal

Ana Arruda

University of the Azores ( email )

P.O. Box 1422
9501-801 Ponta Delgada
Portugal

Carolina Mesquita

University of the Azores ( email )

P.O. Box 1422
9501-801 Ponta Delgada
Portugal

Rodrigo Couto

University of the Azores ( email )

P.O. Box 1422
9501-801 Ponta Delgada
Portugal

Vanessa Sousa

University of the Azores ( email )

P.O. Box 1422
9501-801 Ponta Delgada
Portugal

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