Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
Background noise refers to the presence of irrelevant or distracting sounds or stimuli that can interfere with our ability to perceive and process faint stimuli.
Related terms
Sensory Threshold: Sensory threshold is the minimum level of stimulation needed for us to detect a particular sensory stimulus. In the case of background noise, it can affect our sensory threshold by making it harder for us to perceive faint stimuli amidst all the distractions.
Selective attention refers to our ability to focus on specific stimuli while filtering out irrelevant or distracting information. When dealing with background noise, selective attention helps us direct our focus towards important signals while disregarding the noise.
Signal detection theory is a theory that explains how we make decisions about detecting weak signals amidst background noise. It takes into account factors such as sensitivity (ability to detect signals) and decision criteria (the standards we set for determining if a signal is present).