Visual acuity with noise and music at 107 dbA

In Exper. I, 10 normal-hearing college students performed visual acuity, visual search, and pursuit tracking tasks during music presented at 70 or 107 dbA. Only visual acuity was significantly worse during the higher sound level, which suggest that the effect existed at the relatively low level of sensory processing rather than at the level(s) of cognition and decision-making. In Exper. II, 28 similar Ss performed the visual acuity task during either music or noise presented at 70 or 107 dbA. Acuity was impaired by loud music but not by loud noise. It was suggested that the momentary peak levels in music may play a role in disrupting vestibulo-ocular control, and that some workplace noises may partake of this acoustic characteristic.