Moderate Acoustic Stimuli: the Interrelation of Subjective Importance and Certain Physiological Changes

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
A preliminary study was carried out to determine the interrelation between ‘ moderato ’ acoustical stimulation and certain physiological changes. It has been shown that ‘ subjective importance ’ of the noise was a material factor effecting changes in skin resistance. Further studies were made of the effect of whole-day exposure to aircraft noise, typewriter noise and white noise. The noises of high subjective importance, the aircraft and the typewriter, both showed measurable physiological changes, whereas that of low subjective importance (white noise) showed no significant change compared with control levels. Estimations from four subjects showed a marked decrease in 24-hour urinary 17-ketosteroid and eosinophils, and an increase in total white cell count, lymphocytes and neutrophils. It is suggested that ‘ moderato ’ noise does not appear to act as a ‘ conventional ’ stressor and it is further postulated that it may result in a characteristic syndrome which is comparable with a mild form of anxiety-depression.

This publication has 3 references indexed in Scilit: