The nonauditory effects of noise: review and perspectives for research

This review considered 118 references classified according to nonauditory physiological effects, performance and behavioral effects, sleep disturbance, and communication interference. For each separate category of effect a brief summary was presented of relevant current research, the consequences of noise exposure were sketched, and research needs were suggested in experimental design, in stimulus control and specification, in experimental techniques, and as to appropriate subpopulations to be taken into account. Much was shown to have been accomplished in the past decade, but to date only sparse quantitative data have been reported to express the effects of noise as a dose-response function on physiological processes or on behavior. In almost all studies only a very modest fraction of variance was explainable. It seems especially important to consider other factors along with the physical characteristics of the noise, particularly the interactions of the noise with other toxic agents and with situational and personality factors.