A ‘Distraction Effect’ of Noise Bursts

Abstract

The experiment was designed to investigate the effects of 2 s, 80 dB noise bursts on a five-choice serial response task, using ‘close’ analysis of data. A localised effect of noise burst onset was reported. This effect was confined to the distribution of ‘first responses’, following noise burst onset but not ‘offset’, and occurred on only a proportion of trials. Detailed analysis of the occurrence of the brief delays suggested that there was no systematic occurrence, that the information processing stage of the on-going serial response might be important, and, finally, that ‘distraction’ and not ‘paralysis’ provided a better description of the mechanism of the effect.