Topic 1- Stressors in the Environment

Question 1

Key Research

Answer 1

Black + Black (2007) - Aircraft noise exposure and residents’ stress and hypertension

Question 2

Aims

Answer 2

1. Is health-related quality of life worse in a community chronically exposed to aircraft noise than in a community not exposed ?
2. Is long-term aircraft noise exposure associated with elavated blood pressure in adults via noise stress as a mediating factor ?

Question 3

Sample

Answer 3

Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport
1500 surveys sent out

Area 1 - Close to the airport, more than 50 aircraft noise events a day, 70db

Area 2 - South Penrith, 55km from the airport, matched on socio-economic indices

704 fully complete surveys returned

Question 4

Procedure

Answer 4

Health - Measured using the SF-36 instrument

Hypertension - Closed questions regarding medical history

Annoyance from noise - P’s rated how annoying they found various noise sources (eg. traffic / aircraft noise)

Other factors - eg. smoking, employment, exercise + nutrition

Question 5

Results

Answer 5

Annoyance of aircraft noise /10

Area 1 (close) - 6.27
Area 2 (far) - 1.03

Participants living near the airport (area 1) scored significantly lower on the SF-36 instrument.

People living near the airport were 2.74 x more likely to suffer from hypertension

Question 6

Conclusion

Answer 6

Aircraft noise levels are detrimental to our health. In the long term, this can have serious implications for our health.

Question 7

Glass + Singer

Answer 7

Investiagted the after-effects of exposure to noise.

IVs - Volume of noise, predictability.
DVs - Tolerance / Frustration, Tracing Task, SPAG Task

The greatest effects came from noise being unpredictable.

Question 8

Kendrick + MacFarlane

Answer 8

Investigation into how drivers respond when they are trapped behind a stationary driver at different temperatures.

IV - Outside Temp.
DV - No. car beep, Duration of beep, latency to first beep

At temperatures over 38c, 34% of P’s who used their horn did so for over 50% of the 12s on the green light

Heat increases hostility, evidencing heat as an environmental stressor.

Question 9

Lundberg

Answer 9

Investigated the effects of overcrowding on commuter trains.

IV - Density of train when passengers got on; 1. Low density at the start of the route or 2. High density near the end.

DV - Adrenaline levels in the passenger’s urine + self-ratings of discomfort

Adrenaline levels were lower for those who got on first.

Overcrowding is an environmental stressor§

Question 10

Ellis - RET

Answer 10

Rational Emotive Therapy

A - Activating experience that is causing the distress
B - Beliefs that P has about the experience
C - Consequences of these beliefs
D - Disputing these beliefs
E - Effects of therapy / creating new beliefs.

RET can be used as a strategy to manage environmental stressors

Question 11

Application - Manage the problem of aircraft noise

Answer 11

1. Make noise predictable - Glass + Singer
2. Offer RET therapy - Ellis
3. Sound isulation - Black + Black