Moderate Ambient Noise Effect

Moderate Ambient Noise Effect

Reviewed by Faisal Zaidi

Better creative performance at a moderate background noise level than at a low one, reversing at a high one.

What it is

In five experiments, noise at 70 decibels beat noise at 50 decibels on creative performance, and noise at 85 decibels impaired it. It is drawn from work by Ravi Mehta, Rui (Juliet) Zhu and Amar Cheema (2012).

In effect

In the article on why we work better in cafés, a murmur loosens idea generation.

What it does not say

The 70 decibel result is for creative tasks and was set against 50 decibels, while 85 decibels impaired creativity. A study of 44 children did not find that noise promoted creativity, and younger children with low selective attention gave fewer and less original ideas. It does not say that noise helps focused or memory-based work.

Sources

  1. Mehta, R., Zhu, R. (J.), & Cheema, A. (2012). Is noise always bad? Exploring the effects of ambient noise on creative cognition. Journal of Consumer Research, 39(4), 784-799.
  2. Mones, P., & Massonnié, J. (2022). What can you do with a bottle and a hanger? Students with high cognitive flexibility give more ideas in the presence of ambient noise. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 46, 101116.
  3. Massonnié, J., Rogers, C. J., Mareschal, D., & Kirkham, N. Z. (2019). Is classroom noise always bad for children? The contribution of age and selective attention to creative performance in noise. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 381.