Learning auditory warnings: The effects of sound type verbal labelling and imagery on the identification of alarm sounds

Author(s): Hards, R.

Journal/Book: Int J Ind Ergonomic. 1999; 24: PO Box 211, 1000 AE Amsterdam, Netherlands. Elsevier Science Bv. 603-618.

Abstract: This study looks at the effect of sound type, training cue and cue source on people's ability to learn and retain a set of twelve warning-type sounds. Each participant was required to learn and retain each of the twelve sounds using one of four learning methods. One group was required to learn the sounds according to verbal labels given to them by the experimenter, a second group generated their own verbal labels, a third group was required to learn the sounds using graphic images (the waveform of the sound) given to them by the experimenter; and the fourth group was allowed to generate their own graphic images. Three classes of sound were tested: real, environmental sounds, semi-abstract monitoring-type sounds, and abstract sounds already used as hospital warnings. The results show that the verbal labels worked better than graphic images, but only when these were given by the experimenter. When participants generated their own cues, performance was equally good in both graphic and verbal conditions. Across the sounds, it was found that real sounds were easier to learn than the other two groups, although this effect again disappeared when participants were allowed to generate their own cues. The implications for auditory warning design and training are discussed within a broader theoretical and practical context. Relevance to industry This paper shows that the difficulty with which alarm-type sounds can be learned depends not only on the type of sounds to be learned, but the way in which they are learnt. Apparent advantages to using environmental sounds and verbal labels disappears as soon as participants are allowed to generate their own learning aids.

Note: Article Edworthy J, Univ Plymouth, Dept Psychol, Drake Circus, Plymouth PL4 8AA, Devon, ENGLAND

Keyword(s): auditory perception; auditory warnings; alarms; learning methods; imagery; training; INFORMATION; SIGNALS; DESIGN

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