The Surprising Effect of Reading with Background Noise.
A study of Russian readers found that background noise, such as chatter in a coffee shop or traffic noise, doesn't affect how our brain comprehends written text. The study examined the effects of auditory and visual noise on reading fluency and comprehension. The researchers found that dealing with a clutter of words increased reading speed, possibly because we find the process more irritating and want to finish reading quickly. The study supports the good-enough language processing theory, indicating that auditory and visual noise doesn't make us rely any more or less on this particular comprehension method while we're reading.