Review of research on the effects of noise on cognitive performance 2017-2021

Abstract

Corresponding to the topics of Team 4 of the International Commission on Biological Effects of Noise (ICBEN), a literature review is presented covering the years 2017 to 2021 with a focus on the effects of noise on cognitive performance and the methods used to study these effects. We used sound or noise and cognitive performance as well as several related terms in the search string. Using a stepwise procedure, we reduced 1410 records to 70 reports for inclusion in the literature overview. Since task-irrelevant background speech is considered one of the main acoustical challenges for work-places at which predominantly cognitive performance must be achieved, we included 8 further cognitive-psychological reports, which explored how and why task-irrelevant background speech and its characteristics affect cognitive performance. Thus, the overall amount of included reports in the present literature overview is 78, each reporting at least one original empirical dataset on the effects of noise on cognitive performance. We analysed the results of the selected 78 empirical reports and discussed the main trends in terms of topics and methodologies.