The distracting effects of a ringing cell phone: An investigation of the laboratory and the classroom setting

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• 作者：Jill T. Shelton ; Emily M. Elliott ; Sharon D. Eaves ; Am ; a L. Exner
• 关键词：Auditory distraction ; Cell phone ; Irrelevant sounds
• 刊名：Journal of Environmental Psychology
• 出版年：2009
• 出版时间：December 2009
• 年：2009
• 卷：29
• 期：4
• 页码：513-521
• 全文大小：281 K

文摘

The detrimental effects of a ringing phone on cognitive performance were investigated in four experiments. In Experiments 1 and 2, the effects of different types of sounds (a standard cell phone ring, irrelevant tones and an instrumental song commonly encountered by participants) on performance were examined. In Experiment 1, slower responses were observed in all auditory groups relative to a silence condition, but participants in the ring and song conditions recovered more slowly. In Experiment 2, participants who were warned about the potential for distraction recovered more quickly, suggesting a benefit of this prior knowledge. This investigation continued in a college classroom setting (Experiments 3a and 3b); students were exposed to a ringing cell phone during the lecture. Performance on a surprise quiz revealed low accuracy rates on material presented while the phone was ringing. These findings offer insight into top-down cognitive processes that moderate involuntary orienting responses associated with a common stimulus encountered in the environment.