The Effects of Noise Levels on Concentration

Noise levels are measured in decibels. A normal conversation has a noise level of 60 decibels, a motorcycle has a level of 100 and a jet engine up close has a level of 155. Sustained exposure to 100 decibels can cause hearing loss, while even minimal exposure to 140 decibels can cause permanent damage to the ear drum. While noise at lower decibels won't cause hearing damage, it can have other negative effects, one being the inability to concentrate.

Sensitivity to Noise Varies Among Individuals

• Noise levels interfere with the activities of individuals to varying degrees, especially activities requiring concentration. Some people are more sensitive to noise than others, and studies measuring noise sensitivity always base their results on data collected from groups of people.

Intellectual Tasks More Affected by Noise

• A 1991 study conducted by Anders Kjellberg and Bjorn Skoldstrom, experts on the effects of noise, showed that people are more sensitive to noise when performing an intellectual task. The participants in this study reported being more sensitive to noise while doing a proofreading task than they were when completing a manual task or reaction time task. In addition, the participants were more annoyed when the noise level was at 69 decibels than at 46 decibels.

Children in School Environments

• Several research studies have proved that children's learning is affected by the noise level in their classrooms, and many educators believe an emphasis should be placed on controlling the level of noise in school environments. A 1975 landmark study conducted in a New York City school by Dr. Arline Bronzaft and Dr. Dennis McCarthy showed that the reading levels of students on the noisy side of a school were behind the reading levels of the students on the quieter side of the school. (See Ref. 3) Other studies have showed similar results.

Noise Pollution

• Studies have shown that noise levels above 50 to 55 decibels at home or work can become a severe annoyance and are unsafe. Lack of concentration and an inability to learn effectively are only a few of the negative effects that noise above the safe decibel levels can cause. Other effects may be stress, high blood pressure, sleep loss and the loss of productivity. Information on the effects of unhealthy noise levels has become more widely available since many researchers have begun to expose the dangers of noise pollution.