Influence of sonic noise on human stereoscopic depth perception

Journal Article · Tue May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1979 · Am. Ind. Hyg. Assoc. J.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1080/15298667991429787· OSTI ID:5486582

Hermann, E R; Hesse, C S; Holye, E R; Leopold, A C; Standard, J J

Scientific establishment of the no-effect response to finite levels of exposure to a physical or chemical agent is indeed a rigorous exercise and is frequently controversial. In earlier research by Slutsky under direction of the senior author, a statistically significant increase in stereoscopic depth perception error was noted among 24 test subjects exposed to high intensity white noise. Additional extensive research reported in this paper indicates that error in stereoscopic depth perception is not significantly altered by exposure to continuous white noise of short duration at levels ranging from 70 to 115 dBA. Furthermore, exposure of humans for periods of a few minutes to white noise in octave bands centered on 250 Hz, 1000 Hz, 4 kHz and 16 kHz at 115 dB does not affect their depth perception as measured by the Howard-Dolman test. A comprehensive analysis of depth perception errors measured under noise exposure conditions (n = 4040) in comparison with those obtained under control conditions (n = 1430) produced a mean change in error of -0.38 mm, a statistically insignificant difference (p = 0.17). Even if such an error were attributable to high level noise, it should be noted that the minus sign designates an improvement of depth perception in noise and that it is difficult to imagine visual tasks in which change in error of +- 0.38 mm at a distance of 6.0 meters is meaningful.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Illinois, Chicago, IL
• OSTI ID: 5486582
• Journal Information: Am. Ind. Hyg. Assoc. J.; (United States), Journal Name: Am. Ind. Hyg. Assoc. J.; (United States) Vol. 40:5; ISSN AIHAA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

552000 -- Public Health
560400* -- Other Environmental Pollutant Effects
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS
ANIMALS
AUDITORY ORGANS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BODY
DATA
DATA FORMS
DIAGNOSIS
DIMENSIONS
DISEASES
DOSE-RESPONSE RELATIONSHIPS
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
INFORMATION
ISOLATED VALUES
MAMMALS
MAN
NERVOUS SYSTEM
NOISE
NOISE POLLUTION
NUMERICAL DATA
ORGANS
POLLUTION
PRIMATES
SENSE ORGANS
SENSE ORGANS DISEASES
TIME DEPENDENCE
VERTEBRATES