Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 15, 2026
08:24
The Joint Effect of Social Comparison and Social Distance on Evaluation of Intertemporal Choice Outcomes in Event-related Potential Studies
Published on: August 25, 2023
Noise within the social context: annoyance reduction through fair procedures
Eveline Maris1, Pieter J Stallen, Riel Vermunt
1Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Section of Social and Organizational Psychology, Universiteit Leiden, The Netherlands. email@evelinemaris.nl
The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America
|May 3, 2007
Summary
Fairness in noise exposure procedures significantly reduces annoyance, especially at higher sound pressure levels (SPL). This study demonstrates how procedural justice can mitigate negative reactions to environmental noise.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Psychology
- Acoustics
- Social Psychology
Background:
- Noise annoyance is influenced by social context, not just sound levels.
- Procedural justice principles can be applied to noise management strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if a fair noise exposure procedure can reduce noise annoyance.
- To examine the interaction between sound pressure level (SPL) and procedural fairness on annoyance.
Main Methods:
- Laboratory experiment with 117 participants exposed to aircraft noise (50 vs 70 dB A).
- Two conditions: fair procedure (participants voice preference) and neutral procedure (no preference voiced).
- Participants completed a reading task during noise exposure.
Main Results:
- A significant interaction effect between SPL and procedure on annoyance was observed.
- Noise annoyance was significantly lower in the fair procedure condition compared to the neutral condition, but only at 70 dB A.
- Fair procedures effectively reduced noise annoyance when the sound pressure level was considerably disturbing.
Conclusions:
- Procedural fairness in sound management can be a tool to reduce noise annoyance.
- The effectiveness of fair procedures in mitigating annoyance is most pronounced at higher, more disturbing sound pressure levels.
- Findings have implications for both theoretical understanding of noise annoyance and practical noise management strategies.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:04Social Facilitation
Not all intergroup interactions lead to negative outcomes. Sometimes, being in a group situation can improve performance. Social facilitation occurs when an individual performs better when an audience is watching than when the individual performs the behavior alone. This typically occurs when people are performing a task for which they are skilled.
01:21Impact of Social Context on Individuals
Social psychology examines how the real or imagined presence of others influences individuals' thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. A key concept in this field is the role of social context in shaping behavior. The same individual may act differently depending on the social setting, due to the varying expectations and norms associated with each environment. This context-dependent behavior illustrates the influence of social roles, which prescribe appropriate conduct in specific situations.Social...
01:41Social Traps
Social traps are negative situations where people get caught in a direction or relationship that later proves to be unpleasant, with no easy way to back out of or avoid. The concept was orignally introduced by John Platt who applied psychology to Garrett Hardin's "Tragedy of the Commons", where in New England herd owners could let their cattle graze in the common ground. This situation seems like a good idea, but an individual could have an advantage. If they owned more cows, the larger...
01:28Automatic Processing and Automatic Social Behavior
Automatic processing refers to the cognitive operations that occur without conscious intent or awareness, playing a fundamental role in shaping social cognition and behavior. These processes enable individuals to navigate complex social environments efficiently by relying on mental shortcuts and pre-existing knowledge structures known as schemas. One of the most influential mechanisms underlying automatic processing is priming, which subtly activates mental representations through exposure to...
01:20Social Foundations of Self II: The Generalized Other
According to George Herbert Mead, as children progress beyond the game stage, they develop a more comprehensive understanding of societal rules and norms. This cognitive and social development enables them to internalize the expectations of the broader community, refining their ability to regulate behavior.Consistent participation in organized activities is crucial in helping children recognize that their actions are not isolated but contribute to a more significant, interconnected group effort.
02:55Stereotypes, Prejudice, and Discrimination
Humans are very diverse and although we share many similarities, we also have many differences. The social groups we belong to help form our identities (Tajfel, 1974). These differences may be difficult for some people to reconcile, which may lead to prejudice toward people who are different. Prejudice is a negative attitude and feeling toward an individual based solely on one’s membership in a particular social group (Allport, 1954; Brown, 2010). Prejudice is common against people who are...