On individual differences in noise susceptibility: Methodology and implications for models of the irrelevant speech effect
Abstract
An investigation of individual differences has both practical and theoretical significance in the case of susceptibility to irrelevant sounds. The majority of work on irrelevant sounds has been done on stimulus characteristics and their effects on other memory phenomena (e.g. the word length effect). Little has been done to examine individual differences in noise susceptibility. Moreover, there is little understanding of the factors that underlie irrelevant sounds effects. Herein are reported three experiments which examine individual differences in noise susceptibility which indicate that: individual differences in noise susceptibility exist and are widely variable, are not correlated with overall memory ability (as measured by several span tasks), and individual differences in performance can account for a substantial amount of variance. In addition, implications for models of irrelevant speech are discussed.
Degree
Ph.D.
Advisors
Surprenant, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Cognitive therapy|Psychology|Experiments
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