Effects of Natural Sounds on Attention Restoration in Noisy Environment

Not Applicable

Recruiting

• Conditions: Skin Conductance; Behavioral Performance; Positive and Negative Affect; Heart Rate Variability; Cognitive Fatigue; Working Memory; Perceived Restoration; Mental Fatigue; Inhibition
• Interventions: Other: Baseline; Other: Fatigue Manipulation; Other: Traffic Sound; Other: Silence; Other: Traffic and Masking Sound

• Registration Number: NCT05009784
• Lead Sponsor: Nanyang Technological University

Brief Summary

This study aims to examine whether listening to natural sounds in a noisy (traffic) environment compared to traffic noise only impacts behavioural, cognitive, affective, and physiological markers associated with attention restoration. Attention restoration will be examined as an aspect of cognitive fatigue.

Detailed Description

Based on the Attention Restoration Theory (Kaplan, 1995), we hypothesize that listening to natural sounds has restorative effects on attention by supporting greater use of involuntary attention. This generates the prediction that exposure to natural sounds in the context of a noisy environment will have greater restorative effects on attention (i.e., physiological, affect, cognition, and behaviour) as compared to the control group (exposed to noise only). Individual differences (i.e., age, gender, caffeine and food intake, body mass index, skin temperature, noise sensitivity, sleep quality, baseline physiology and behavioural performance) will be examined and accounted for. A cognitive task will be administered at the beginning of the experiment to induce fatigue to examine the restorative effects of natural sounds.

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2021-08-10
• Study First Submitted QC: 2021-08-12
• Study First Posted: 2021-08-18
• Study Start: 2021-08-25
• Status Verified: 2023-03
• Last Update Submitted: 2023-03-21
• Last Update Posted: 2023-03-23
• Primary Completion: 2023-05-15
• Study Completion: 2023-06-15

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: RECRUITING
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 162

Inclusion Criteria

• Singapore-based
• Non-clinical
• 18-35years

Exclusion Criteria

• Individuals with hearing difficulties or failing to meet the minimal threshold for normal hearing
• Individuals with a history of ear, developmental, neurological, or psychiatric disorder

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Traffic Sound	Traffic Sound	600 seconds of traffic sound
Silence	Silence	600 seconds of no sound
Traffic and Masking Sounds	Traffic and Masking Sound	600 seconds of traffic and masking sound
Traffic Sound	Fatigue Manipulation	600 seconds of traffic sound
Silence	Baseline	600 seconds of no sound
Traffic Sound	Baseline	600 seconds of traffic sound
Traffic and Masking Sounds	Fatigue Manipulation	600 seconds of traffic and masking sound
Silence	Fatigue Manipulation	600 seconds of no sound
Traffic and Masking Sounds	Baseline	600 seconds of traffic and masking sound

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Electrocardiograph (Change)	up to 1 hour before and after sound intervention	Change in Heart Rate Variability
Reverse Corsi Task (Change)	up to 1 hour before and after sound intervention	Change in Reaction Time
Positive and Negative Affect Schedule - Expanded Form (Change)	up to 1 hour before and after sound intervention	Change in Negative Affect Score
Electrodermal Activity (Change)	up to 1 hour before and after sound intervention	Change in Skin Conductance Response
Fatigue State Questionnaire (Change)	up to 1 hour before and after sound intervention	Change in Fatigue State Questionnaire Score
Go/NoGo Task (Change)	up to 1 hour before and after sound Intervention	Change in Reaction Time

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Perceived Restorativeness Soundscape Scale	up to 1 hour after sound Intervention	Perceived Restorativeness Soundscape Scale Score

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Cultural Science Innovations, Nanyang Technological University; 🇸🇬 Singapore, Singapore