Noise and Stress Noise Pollution Term Paper

Total Length: 1395 words ( 5 double-spaced pages)

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'" (Meer, 1986)

But there are still many misleading and conflicting findings that affect Congress' efforts in noise control. While some feel that noise is not a distraction if you are used to it, there are other studies that vehemently oppose such claims. "Noise affects more than our health and quality of life; it even influences social behavior and cognitive development. In 1997, a Cornell University study found that children exposed to frequent airplane noise don't learn to read as well as other children. Excessive background noise caused the children to tune out human voices and interfered with their language acquisition. The psychologists who conducted the study speculated that as a result of noise pollution, parents and teachers were also less willing to speak or read aloud." (Blanchard, 1998)

Noise research has been suffering from some serious drawbacks which have caused many to question the veracity of claims made by various studies. While some maintain that noise is a distraction and causes stress, others feel it is only about habituation. The more accustomed you grow, the lesser the impact of noise. However it is also found that degree of sensitively may also vary. Not every person responds to noise levels in the same manner. Some people are more sensitive to noise than others. But even within this group, it is likely that not everyone's reaction would be similar.
Within the noise-sensitive group, some noises are found more distracting and disturbing than others. (Watson & Clark, 1984). Similarly it was found that people who are sensitive to noise are more concerned about deteriorating quality of life and potential impact on noise on stress levels (Langdon, 1976.)

Americans are now regularly being exposed to high levels of environmental noise. This increase is believed to have had a negative impact on work performance, health, ability to learn and read etc. Increase in stress-related health problems are also attributed to high level of noise. Public policy in connection with noise control has failed to have any considerable positive impact on reduction of noise levels. The research done in the area is not being properly used to identify the various possible health effects and stress-related conditions caused by prolonged exposure to excessive noise. It is important to understand that noise when it crosses a limit, which varies from person to person, adds to psychological stress. A person living in urban areas is therefore much more at risk of becoming a victim of noise-related stress than someone in the countryside. Government needs to make important concerted effort to control environmental noise as it can seriously damage Americans' psychological and physical health......

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"Noise And Stress Noise Pollution", 14 February 2005, Accessed.19 May. 2024,
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/noise-stress-noise-pollution-62070