Subject: Re: Hearing Conservation Presentation Available From: Barry Blesser <bblesser@xxxxxxxx> Date: Wed, 19 Dec 2007 15:52:19 -0500 List-Archive:<http://lists.mcgill.ca/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=AUDITORY>Hi Pat, While I enjoyed your presentation, it follows in the old tradition of "don't do it because it is bad." This kind of message has not yet made a significant difference in the behavior of most people in our culture. Some time ago, I took a fresh look at the issue of loud music and came to the conclusion that there is a positive reward for this kind of destructive behavior. In my view, by not addressing the motivation for excessive loudness, real change is less likely. I wrote an article for eContact, which lists some of the rewards for this kind of destructive behavior. A copy can be found at http://www.blesser.net/downloads/eContact%20Loud%20Music.pdf. Given the relatively high frequency of Tinnitus, anyone interested in sound and audio should become educated on what is known about this disability. There is also a review article from eContact that summarizes what is known. It can be found at http://www.blesser.net/downloads/eContact%20Tinnitus.pdf In my view, a full dialog is only possible when the trade-offs between positive and negatives are carefully presented. The most important consequence of a hearing disability is not just that music is degraded but that social cohesion is undermined. As a result, those with a significant hearing loss experience an emotional and psychiatric burden. A study by a doctor in the 1950s in England found that the most frequent explanation for psychotic symptoms in the elderly population was undiagnosed hear loss. A parallel study at Stanford University in the 1980s showed that simulated hearing loss among the normal population produced psychiatric symptoms in less than a day. Regards, Barry Blesser -----Original Message----- From: AUDITORY - Research in Auditory Perception [mailto:AUDITORY@xxxxxxxx On Behalf Of Patrick Zurek Sent: Wednesday, December 19, 2007 10:25 AM To: AUDITORY@xxxxxxxx Subject: Hearing Conservation Presentation Available Sensimetrics Corporation is making available a computer-based presentation on hearing conservation entitled Preserving Your Hearing. This presentation, which is aimed at middle- and high-school students, uses simulations of hearing loss to demonstrate the risks of over-exposure to loud music. It was originally developed for display at the DiscovEARy Zone at the 2007 AAA meeting in Denver, which was an exhibit area established for visiting students. Preserving Your Hearing uses speech and rock music to briefly demonstrate the effects of mild, moderate, and severe hearing loss, tinnitus and hearing aids. To download the 3-minute presentation, go to www.sens.com and click the Preserving Your Hearing link. Patrick M. Zurek President Sensimetrics Corporation 48 Grove St. Somerville, MA 02144 Tel: 617-625-0600 x237 Fax: 617-625-6612 email: pat@xxxxxxxx web: www.sens.com