The effects of auditory distraction on visual attention

The present experiment was conducted to discover if, within prescribed limits, the Woodworth and Wells Numbers Cancellation Test would measure distraction effects, age differences and sex differences. The procedure involved the administration of the test to four age groups of subjects. These age groups were nine, twelve, fifteen and eighteen-year-olds. The subjects were selected from public schools and junior and senior high schools in the Vancouver area. The total number of subjects involved was 361 grouped as follows: nine-year-olds— 85, twelve-year-olds—86, fifteen-year-olds—95, and eighteen-year-olds—95. The subjects, tested in small groups, were given a practice trial, immediately followed by a trial with traffic sounds and then a trial with music sounds, and finally, a trial in silence. This last trial was used as the control. A different numeral to be cancelled was used for each trial and these designated numerals were rotated for the sub-groups within each age group. The use of different numerals and their rotation was made to eliminate practice effects and positional habits as far as possible. The analysis of the data revealed age and sex differences while no distraction effects were apparent. Factors affecting the results may have been weakness of the distracting stimuli, habituation of the distractors, increased effort, or possibly the brevity of the test (two minutes). Earlier maturity of hand-eye co-ordination and reaction time in girls seems to account for the sex differences found. Age differences may be accounted for by greater familiarity with the material and test situations, and reduction in reaction time for the older subjects. The findings of this experiment may be summarized as follows: 1. The auditory distractions used had no statistically significant effects on the Woodworth and Wells Numbers Cancellation Test. 8. Performance on the Woodworth and Wells Numbers Cancellation Test consistently increased with age. 3. The performance of girls on the Woodworth and Wells Numbers Cancellation Test tended to be superior to that of boys. 4. The percentage error was inversely proportional to age for boys and girls on the Woodworth and Wells Numbers Cancellation Test. As a result of this experiment a number of problems for further research have been suggested.Arts, Faculty ofPhilosophy, Department ofGraduat