Related Experiment Videos
Facial EMG responses to noise
A Kjellberg1, B Sköldström, M Tesarz
1Unit of Psychophysiology, National Institute of Occupational Health, Solna, Sweden.
Perceptual and Motor Skills
|December 1, 1994
Summary
Forehead muscle activity, measured by electromyography (EMG), can indicate noise annoyance. This muscle tension response was larger for women and during difficult tasks, correlating linearly with rated annoyance.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Acoustics
- Human Factors
Background:
- Forehead muscle tension increases in response to unpleasant stimuli.
- Electromyography (EMG) measures muscle activity, potentially serving as an objective indicator of subjective experiences like annoyance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the utility of corrugator muscle EMG activity as a measure of noise annoyance.
- To explore factors influencing this physiological response to noise, including sound level, task difficulty, and sex differences.
Main Methods:
- Three experiments were conducted involving EMG recordings of the corrugator muscle.
- Participants were exposed to different sound levels (100- and 1000-Hz tones) and performed simple and difficult tasks.
- Corrugator muscle activity was measured and correlated with rated annoyance levels.
Main Results:
- Monotonic sound level-response functions were observed for pure tones.
- Higher EMG responses were recorded during a difficult task, particularly under noise exposure.
- A significant sex difference emerged, with women exhibiting larger responses, which persisted after correcting for maximum voluntary contraction.
Conclusions:
- Corrugator muscle EMG activity is a valid indicator of noise annoyance.
- Task difficulty and sex are significant factors modulating the physiological response to noise.
- Rated annoyance shows a linear relationship with the logarithm of EMG activity.