Auditory Distraction During Reading: A Bayesian Meta-Analysis of a Continuing Controversy

Authors: Vasilev, M.R., Kirkby, J.A. and Angele, B.

Journal: Perspectives on Psychological Science

Volume: 13

Issue: 5

Pages: 567-597

eISSN: 1745-6924

ISSN: 1745-6916

DOI: 10.1177/1745691617747398

Abstract:

Everyday reading occurs in different settings, such as on the train to work, in a busy cafeteria, or at home while listening to music. In these situations, readers are exposed to external auditory stimulation from nearby noise, speech, or music that may distract them from their task and reduce their comprehension. Although many studies have investigated auditory-distraction effects during reading, the results have proved to be inconsistent and sometimes even contradictory. In addition, the broader theoretical implications of the findings have not always been explicitly considered. We report a Bayesian meta-analysis of 65 studies on auditory-distraction effects during reading and use metaregression models to test predictions derived from existing theories. The results showed that background noise, speech, and music all have a small but reliably detrimental effect on reading performance. The degree of disruption in reading comprehension did not generally differ between adults and children. Intelligible speech and lyrical music resulted in the biggest distraction. Although this last result is consistent with theories of semantic distraction, there was also reliable distraction by noise. It is argued that new theoretical models are needed that can account for distraction by both background speech and noise.

https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/29995/

Source: Scopus

Auditory Distraction During Reading: A Bayesian Meta-Analysis of a Continuing Controversy.

Authors: Vasilev, M.R., Kirkby, J.A. and Angele, B.

Journal: Perspect Psychol Sci

Volume: 13

Issue: 5

Pages: 567-597

eISSN: 1745-6924

DOI: 10.1177/1745691617747398

Abstract:

Everyday reading occurs in different settings, such as on the train to work, in a busy cafeteria, or at home while listening to music. In these situations, readers are exposed to external auditory stimulation from nearby noise, speech, or music that may distract them from their task and reduce their comprehension. Although many studies have investigated auditory-distraction effects during reading, the results have proved to be inconsistent and sometimes even contradictory. In addition, the broader theoretical implications of the findings have not always been explicitly considered. We report a Bayesian meta-analysis of 65 studies on auditory-distraction effects during reading and use metaregression models to test predictions derived from existing theories. The results showed that background noise, speech, and music all have a small but reliably detrimental effect on reading performance. The degree of disruption in reading comprehension did not generally differ between adults and children. Intelligible speech and lyrical music resulted in the biggest distraction. Although this last result is consistent with theories of semantic distraction, there was also reliable distraction by noise. It is argued that new theoretical models are needed that can account for distraction by both background speech and noise.

https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/29995/

Source: PubMed

Auditory Distraction During Reading: A Bayesian Meta-Analysis of a Continuing Controversy

Authors: Vasilev, M.R., Kirkby, J.A. and Angele, B.

Journal: PERSPECTIVES ON PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE

Volume: 13

Issue: 5

Pages: 567-597

eISSN: 1745-6924

ISSN: 1745-6916

DOI: 10.1177/1745691617747398

https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/29995/

Source: Web of Science (Lite)

Auditory distraction during reading: A Bayesian meta-analysis of a continuing controversy

Authors: Vasilev, kirkby, J.A. and Angele, B.

Journal: Perspectives on Psychological Science

Publisher: Blackwell Publishing Inc.

ISSN: 1745-6916

Abstract:

Everyday reading occurs in different settings, such as on the train to work, in a busy cafeteria, or at home, while listening to music. In these situations, readers are exposed to external auditory stimulation from nearby noise, speech, or music that may distract them from their task and reduce their comprehension. Although many studies have investigated auditory distraction effects during reading, the results have proved to be inconsistent and sometimes even contradictory. Additionally, the broader theoretical implications of the findings have not always been explicitly considered. In the present study, we report a Bayesian meta-analysis of 65 studies on auditory distraction effects during reading and use meta-regression models to test predictions derived from existing theories. The results showed that background noise, speech, and music all have a small, but reliably detrimental effect on reading performance. The degree of disruption in reading comprehension did not generally differ between adults and children. Intelligible speech and lyrical music resulted in the biggest distraction. While this last result is consistent with theories of semantic distraction, there was also reliable distraction by noise. It is argued that new theoretical models are needed that can account for distraction by both background speech and noise.

https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/29995/

Source: Manual

Auditory Distraction During Reading: A Bayesian Meta-Analysis of a Continuing Controversy.

Authors: Vasilev, M.R., Kirkby, J.A. and Angele, B.

Journal: Perspectives on psychological science : a journal of the Association for Psychological Science

Volume: 13

Issue: 5

Pages: 567-597

eISSN: 1745-6924

ISSN: 1745-6916

DOI: 10.1177/1745691617747398

Abstract:

Everyday reading occurs in different settings, such as on the train to work, in a busy cafeteria, or at home while listening to music. In these situations, readers are exposed to external auditory stimulation from nearby noise, speech, or music that may distract them from their task and reduce their comprehension. Although many studies have investigated auditory-distraction effects during reading, the results have proved to be inconsistent and sometimes even contradictory. In addition, the broader theoretical implications of the findings have not always been explicitly considered. We report a Bayesian meta-analysis of 65 studies on auditory-distraction effects during reading and use metaregression models to test predictions derived from existing theories. The results showed that background noise, speech, and music all have a small but reliably detrimental effect on reading performance. The degree of disruption in reading comprehension did not generally differ between adults and children. Intelligible speech and lyrical music resulted in the biggest distraction. Although this last result is consistent with theories of semantic distraction, there was also reliable distraction by noise. It is argued that new theoretical models are needed that can account for distraction by both background speech and noise.

https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/29995/

Source: Europe PubMed Central

Auditory distraction during reading: A Bayesian meta-analysis of a continuing controversy

Authors: Vasilev, M.R., Kirkby, J.A. and Angele, B.

Journal: Perspectives on Psychological Science

Volume: 13

Issue: 5

Pages: 567-597

ISSN: 1745-6916

Abstract:

Everyday reading occurs in different settings, such as on the train to work, in a busy cafeteria, or at home, while listening to music. In these situations, readers are exposed to external auditory stimulation from nearby noise, speech, or music that may distract them from their task and reduce their comprehension. Although many studies have investigated auditory distraction effects during reading, the results have proved to be inconsistent and sometimes even contradictory. Additionally, the broader theoretical implications of the findings have not always been explicitly considered. In the present study, we report a Bayesian meta-analysis of 65 studies on auditory distraction effects during reading and use meta-regression models to test predictions derived from existing theories. The results showed that background noise, speech, and music all have a small, but reliably detrimental effect on reading performance. The degree of disruption in reading comprehension did not generally differ between adults and children. Intelligible speech and lyrical music resulted in the biggest distraction. While this last result is consistent with theories of semantic distraction, there was also reliable distraction by noise. It is argued that new theoretical models are needed that can account for distraction by both background speech and noise.

https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/29995/

Source: BURO EPrints