Accession Number:

AD0744938

Title:

Psychological Effects of Prolonged Exposure to Sonar Signals at an Elevated Intensity I. Five Days' Exposure to Signals at 85 dB

Descriptive Note:

Interim rept.

Corporate Author:

NAVAL SUBMARINE MEDICAL RESEARCH LAB GROTON CT

Personal Author(s):

• Weybrew, Benjamin B.
• Noddin, Ernest M.

Report Date:

1971-12-02

Pagination or Media Count:

20.0

Abstract:

Twelve enlisted submariner candidates were confined to an Audiology Lab for a period of 10 days. Intervening between 2 pre-experimental and 2 recovery days were 5 days exposure to a continuous sonar signal at 85 dB. Addition test scores declined, letter cancellation accuracy also declined, and the four adjective checklist measures of affect and mod, viz., hostility, depression, anxiety and maladjustive trends, all increased within the first day of the sound exposure. However, these indicators had all reverted to pre- experimental level by 48-60 hours into the sound-on phase of the experiment. On the third day of the sound exposure one of the 12 subjects developed anxiety symptoms acute enough to warrant tranquilizer medication. The self-control design of the study, however, does not allow for any unequivocal statement regarding the cause of these symptoms.

Descriptors:

• *PSYCHOPHYSICS
• *SONAR SIGNALS
• *STRESS(PHYSIOLOGY)
• *SUBMARINE PERSONNEL
• CONFINED ENVIRONMENTS
• ENDURANCE(PHYSIOLOGY)
• EXPOSURE(PHYSIOLOGY)
• PERFORMANCE(HUMAN)
• REACTION(PSYCHOLOGY)
• SOUND

Subject Categories:

• Stress Physiology

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE