The influence of traffic noise on children's work efficiency while using a computer at school

One of the consequences of new technical innovations is also noise. It represents a considerable problem especially in form of traffic noise in urban areas. It damages intellectual work in educational institutions and has a substantial effect on personality development, among other things. Taking all this facts into consideration we started a research presented in this paper. We wanted to establish what the influence of traffic noise is on the efficiency of pupils working with computer which has become an extremely popular learning tool. We prepared different tasks that require increased attentiveness and tasks that require a certain activity of pupil's memory. When investigating the influence of traffic noise we used the Signal Detection Theory and methods for testing short-term memory. The results of the research, conducted in artificial working conditions show that mental work within the frame of intellectual activities and memorizing during these activities is in a negative interdependence with noisy environment. This means that pupils can succumb to the pressures of the working environment when using a computer. Unfortunately, this can consequently negatively effect their health and work efficiency