Summary: New research reveals that a learner’s internal interest in a topic is a more powerful predictor of focus than external environmental noise. By monitoring brain activity and physiological stress, researchers found that when a person is genuinely engaged, their neural patterns remain synchronized with the information source even amidst loud, chaotic background sounds.
Conversely, uninteresting material triggers brain activity linked to mind-wandering and increases physical stress levels, suggesting that the effort to ignore boredom is more taxing than the effort to ignore noise. Ultimately, the study proves that the brain is not a passive receiver of data but an active filter that uses meaning as its primary defense against distraction.
Key Facts
- Neural Resilience: High interest levels allow the brain to maintain “neural tracking” of a speaker, effectively filtering out intermittent and continuous construction noise.
- Physiological Cost: Attempting to focus on uninteresting material leads to a measurable spike in skin conductance, indicating that boredom causes a physical stress response.
- Engagement Over Environment: The study found that while unpredictable noises are disruptive, the learner’s subjective interest level has a significantly larger impact on comprehension than the volume of the room.
Source: Bar-Ilan University
How well we pay attention while learning is influenced not only by external distractions like background noise but also by internal factors such as how interesting we find the material, according to a study recently published by researchers at Bar-Ilan University.
The research recorded brain activity (EEG) and physiological arousal (skin conductance) from 32 participants as they watched a 35-minute educational video lecture. Segments were presented either in quiet or with background construction sounds, either continuous drilling or intermittent air-hammers.
Participants repeatedly rated how interesting they found the content and answered comprehension questions to assess their understanding.
The findings were striking. When participants found the lecture engaging, their brains remained closely synchronized with the speaker’s speech, even when construction noise was present.
In contrast, low-interest sections were associated with patterns of brain activity linked to mind-wandering and reduced attention, alongside increased physiological arousal, suggesting that trying to maintain focus on uninteresting material can be taxing.
While intermittent noise did create more disruption than continuous noise, overall, the presence of background noise had a smaller effect on neural and physiological measures than the learner’s interest in the content.
“Our brains are not just passive receivers of information; they actively tune in when we find the content meaningful or engaging, even in the middle of chaos,” says Dr. Elana Zion Golumbic, lead researcher.
“This suggests that creating compelling, interesting material may be the most effective way to keep students focused, far beyond just controlling noise in the environment.”
In addition to Prof. Golumbic the research team included Orel Levy, Tal Shadi and Adi Korisky from Bar-Ilan University and Martin G. Bleichner from Carl von Ossietzky University in Germany.
This study builds on previous work conducted in immersive virtual reality classrooms and tested whether those findings generalize to 2D video lectures, a format increasingly used in modern education.
The research highlights that moment-to-moment engagement is a critical predictor of attention and comprehension. In real-world settings, including noisy urban classrooms, cafes, or homes, controlling environmental distractions is not always feasible.
The research team plans to continue exploring attentional dynamics across controlled labs, virtual reality, and real-world classrooms. They aim to refine neurophysiological measures to track moment-to-moment changes in engagement and better understand how individuals cope with real-world distractions over time.
Funding: This work was published in npj Science of Learning and supported by the Israel Science Foundation (ISF) and the German Research Foundation (DFG).
Key Questions Answered:
A: Yes. The study observed that when participants were uninterested, their physiological arousal levels increased. This suggests that the mental effort required to force attention on dull material creates a “boredom tax” that is physically exhausting for the body.
A: It comes down to “neural synchronization.” If the material you are consuming is meaningful, your brain remains locked onto that information, creating a natural barrier against external chaos. In a dull office, the lack of engagement makes your brain “hunt” for distractions, even in total silence.
A: While quiet environments are helpful, this research indicates that content quality is the superior variable. Compelling, relevant material acts as an internal noise-canceling tool, making it the most effective way to ensure student focus in real-world, unpredictable settings.
Editorial Notes:
- This article was edited by a Neuroscience News editor.
- Journal paper reviewed in full.
- Additional context added by our staff.
About this learning and neuroscience research news
Author: Elana Oberlander
Source: Bar-Ilan University
Contact: Elana Oberlander – Bar-Ilan University
Image: The image is credited to Neuroscience News
Original Research: Open access.
“Differential effects of external noise and situational interest on neurophysiological responses during video based learning” by Orel Levy, Tal Shadi, Adi Korisky, Martin G. Bleichner & Elana Zion Golumbic. npj Science of Learning
DOI:10.1038/s41539-025-00392-5
Abstract
Differential effects of external noise and situational interest on neurophysiological responses during video based learning
Attending a lecture requires remaining focused for extended periods, which is particularly difficult in noisy environments or when lecture content is less engaging. Yet little is known about how these external (noise) and internal (interest) factors affect learners’ neurophysiology.
We measured brain activity (electroencephalogram; EEG) and physiological responses (skin conductance) during video-based learning, and assessed how neurophysiological responses were modulated by the presence of realistic background noise and by varying levels of interest throughout the lecture.
Interest-level showed pronounced neurophysiological effects, with low-interest segments associated with reduced neural speech tracking, elevated alpha-power, reduced beta-power, and increased arousal, a pattern consistent with lower engagement and increased listening effort. Interestingly, background noise had comparatively limited effects on neurophysiological responses.
These dissociated impacts of internal and external factors on speech processing during learning, emphasize the profound impact of content-engagement on neurophysiological measures associated with learner’s attention, beyond the sensory burden of noise.
