Title
Enhanced awakening probability of repetitive impulse sounds
Author
Vos, J.
Houben, M.M.J.
TNO Technische Menskunde
Publication year
2013
Abstract
In the present study relations between the level of impulse sounds and the observed proportion of behaviorally confirmed awakening reactions were determined. The sounds (shooting sounds, bangs produced by door slamming or by container transshipment, aircraft landings) were presented by means of loudspeakers in the bedrooms of 50 volunteers. The fragments for the impulse sounds consisted of single or multiple events. The sounds were presented during a 6-h period that started 75 min after the subjects wanted to sleep. In order to take account of habituation, each subject participated during 18 nights. At equal indoor A-weighted sound exposure levels, the proportion of awakening for the single impulse sounds was equal to that for the aircraft sounds. The proportion of awakening induced by the multiple impulse sounds, however, was significantly higher. For obtaining the same rate of awakening, the sound level of each of the successive impulses in a fragment had to be about 15-25 dB lower than the level of one single impulse. This level difference was largely independent of the degree of habituation. Various explanations for the enhanced awakening probability are discussed. © 2013 Acoustical Society of America.
Subject
Human
PCS - Perceptual and Cognitive Systems
BSS - Behavioural and Societal Sciences
Acoustics and Audiology
Built Environment
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http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:5c06d1de-bc2a-4aa6-935b-b412259c5966
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1121/1.4817923
TNO identifier
478817
ISSN
0001-4966
Source
Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 134 (3), 2011-2025
Document type
article