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The Effect of Auditory White Noise on a Three-Stimulus Oddball Task in Attentive and Inattentive Participants

Schröder, Elin LU (2013) PSYP02 20131
Department of Psychology
Abstract
Recent findings have shown that listening to white noise can improve memory in people with ADHD or low levels of attention. The current study explored whether white noise can improve performance on a test of sustained attention. Participants (N=19) were divided into an attentive (N=10) and inattentive group (N=9) based on the inattention sub-section of the ASRS (Adult Self-Report ADHD Scale). Participants completed four blocks of a Three-Stimulus Oddball task. Participants completed the task under four conditions: in silence, while listening to continuous white noise, listening to a tone and listening to short bursts of white noise. It was found that the inattentive group performed worse in all four conditions compared to the attentive... (More)
Recent findings have shown that listening to white noise can improve memory in people with ADHD or low levels of attention. The current study explored whether white noise can improve performance on a test of sustained attention. Participants (N=19) were divided into an attentive (N=10) and inattentive group (N=9) based on the inattention sub-section of the ASRS (Adult Self-Report ADHD Scale). Participants completed four blocks of a Three-Stimulus Oddball task. Participants completed the task under four conditions: in silence, while listening to continuous white noise, listening to a tone and listening to short bursts of white noise. It was found that the inattentive group performed worse in all four conditions compared to the attentive group by making more errors and having a higher variability in response times. There was no positive effect of listening to white noise or the tone for either group. The results of the study did not lend support towards the hypothesis that inattentive participants benefit from white noise on a test of sustained attention. It was suggested that future research should replicate the current experiment using more participants, more noise manipulations and by increasing motivation through including continuous feedback. It was also suggested that white noise should be tested in conjunction with working memory tasks and test of inhibition and interference handling since impairments in these processes are also implicated in the ADHD symptom profile. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Schröder, Elin LU
supervisor
organization
course
PSYP02 20131
year
type
H1 - Master's Degree (One Year)
subject
keywords
ADHD, sustained attention, white noise, Oddball task, response variability, post-error slowing, distractibility
language
English
id
4023623
date added to LUP
2013-09-12 13:14:27
date last changed
2013-09-12 13:14:27
@misc{4023623,
  abstract     = {{Recent findings have shown that listening to white noise can improve memory in people with ADHD or low levels of attention. The current study explored whether white noise can improve performance on a test of sustained attention. Participants (N=19) were divided into an attentive (N=10) and inattentive group (N=9) based on the inattention sub-section of the ASRS (Adult Self-Report ADHD Scale). Participants completed four blocks of a Three-Stimulus Oddball task. Participants completed the task under four conditions: in silence, while listening to continuous white noise, listening to a tone and listening to short bursts of white noise. It was found that the inattentive group performed worse in all four conditions compared to the attentive group by making more errors and having a higher variability in response times. There was no positive effect of listening to white noise or the tone for either group. The results of the study did not lend support towards the hypothesis that inattentive participants benefit from white noise on a test of sustained attention. It was suggested that future research should replicate the current experiment using more participants, more noise manipulations and by increasing motivation through including continuous feedback. It was also suggested that white noise should be tested in conjunction with working memory tasks and test of inhibition and interference handling since impairments in these processes are also implicated in the ADHD symptom profile.}},
  author       = {{Schröder, Elin}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{The Effect of Auditory White Noise on a Three-Stimulus Oddball Task in Attentive and Inattentive Participants}},
  year         = {{2013}},
}