Aesthetic and affective effects of vocal and traffic noise on natural landscape assessment

Benfield, Jacob A.; Bell, Paul A.; Troup, Lucy J.; Soderstrom, Nicholas C.

doi:10.1016/j.jenvp.2009.10.002

Cited by 94 publications

(62 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…All responses were recorded on iPad 2 nd Generation computers (Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA) programmed with iSURVEY software (Contact Software Limited, Wellington, New Zealand). Landscape assessments were based on the scales and procedures described in Mace et al (1999) and Benfield, Bell, Troup, and Soderstrom (2010). Physiological data were obtained continuously for all participants during the baseline surveys and landscape assessments.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Human Responses to Simulated Motorized Noise in National Parks

et al. 2014

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HUMAN RESPONSES TO SIMULATED MOTORIZED NOISE IN NATIONAL PARKSThis thesis investigated the effects of three sources of motorized noise on laboratory participants' evaluations of landscape scenes, self-reported affective states, and physiological responses in simulated national park settings. Seventy-seven laboratory participants completed landscape assessments along 8 aesthetic dimensions and reported affective states while listening to audio clips of natural sounds, propeller planes, motorcycles, and snowmobiles. Each participant experienced all scenes and sound conditions in a pseudo-randomized order. The change from the natural sound baseline for each motorized source of noise was calculated.Results indicated that all motorized sources of noise had detrimental impacts on landscape assessments and self-reported affective states, compared to natural sounds. Motorcycle noise was demonstrated to have the largest negative impact on landscape assessments. Physiological response was also affected by experimental noise in some of the conditions (with the strongest effect in the snowmobile condition), but a consistent pattern of results failed to emerge to suggest that negative impacts to human physiology could be reliably detected under the present methodology. In addition to confirming that noise from motorized recreation has significant social impacts on potential park visitors, this simulation suggests that the specific source of the noise is an important factor in observer evaluations. These results could help park managers prioritize their educational and regulatory strategies for minimizing adverse impacts by motorized vehicles on natural soundscapes. Important advances in soundscape research methodology are also presented.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Human Responses to Simulated Motorized Noise in National Parks

et al. 2014

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“…The use of landscape photos for subjectively evaluating landscape characteristics such as the scenic value and preference of visual landscape has been empirically established as a valid method (Daniel, 2001;De la Fuente de Val et al, 2006;Dramstad et al, 2006;Dunn, 1976;Shafer and Brush, 1977;Stamps III, 1997;Steinitz, 1990;Strumse, 1994). In aural-visual interaction research, landscape photos have also been combined with sounds and evaluated by subjects in terms of a series of psychological parameters and cultural values, e.g., naturalness, freedom, annoyance, solitude, scenic beauty and tranquillity (Benfield et al, 2010;Carles et al, 1999;Pheasant et al, 2008;Viollon et al, 2002). In addition, landscape photos have been used to quantitatively measure the landscape composition by calculating the percentage of different landscape elements captured in photographs (Pheasant et al, 2008).…”

Section: On-site Landscape Compositionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of landscape on soundscape perception: Soundwalks in city parks

Liu

Kang

Behm

et al. 2014

Landscape and Urban Planning

208

107

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The present study analyses the effects of the physical characteristics of the visual landscape on soundscape perception in city parks, based on information gathered in field surveys using a specifically designed soundwalk method in five city parks in China. Three soundscape parameters were conceived, including perceived loudness of individual sounds (PLS), perceived occurrence of individual sounds (POS) and soundscape diversity index (SDI), which were found to correlate and should thus be applied in concert. Physical characteristics of the visual landscape were analysed from two perspectives, i.e., by on-site landscape composition and local landscape spatial patterns. The results suggest that the percentage of buildings, vegetation and sky in panoramic views (here photos) were effective landscape elements influencing soundscape perception. The landscape shape index of buildings and water areas (LSI_B, LSI_W) and the patch cohesion index of water areas (COHESION_W) showed positive effects on the perception of human sounds. The percentage of roads (PLAND_R) and the largest patch index of roads (LPI_R) were related to traffic sounds. Both the PLS and POS of biological sounds were negatively related to LPI_W and LSI_B, respectively, whilst the POS of biological sounds was positively related to PLAND_R, and LSI_R. COHESION_R was the only index negatively related to both the PLS and POS of geophysical sounds. SDI only showed positive relationship with PLAND_W. Overall, the results reveal that local landscape spatial patterns could be more influential on soundscape perception than on-site landscape composition. The study proposed introducing soundscape information from different sources into landscape management.

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“…The approach would be that used by others-a visual presentation with associated sound [19][20][21]. Subjects would experience the presentations in a darkened, quiet room and register their judgments, probably after a listening session of a few minutes to each presentation.…”

Section: Laboratory Study Conceptmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Previous research has demonstrated an interaction between the scene and the sound [4,7,[16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25]. The evaluation of tranquility quantified the importance of the interaction between the visual and the soundscape.…”

Section: Examine Interaction Of Visual With Audiblementioning

confidence: 99%

Understanding Soundscapes

Miller

2013

Buildings

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This paper offers a new approach to understanding, improving and designing soundscapes. "Soundscape" means all the sounds that can be heard in a specific location. Soundscapes can be understood only through peoples' perceptions, and this paper proposes using those perceptions to link soundscape improvement and design with traditional noise control methods. Decades of experience have yielded in-depth understanding of how undesirable sounds may be controlled or reduced. The control methods, however, are generally applicable to single sources of sound while soundscapes are composed of multiple sounds. Using human judgments, first in the laboratory and later in the field, it will be possible to deconstruct any soundscape into its desirable and undesirable sounds, which may then, one-by-one, be subjected to proven methods of noise control. This approach includes complications, not the least of which is deciding how much the undesirable sounds should be reduced to perceptually improve the soundscape. Previous published studies, primarily laboratory, but also field studies, suggest that initial laboratory work followed by increasingly complex field applications, should result in an understanding of how soundscapes can be improved and desirable ones designed.Keywords: soundscape; noise; acoustical design; urban design Sustainability and the Role of SoundscapesSustainability in planning and design implies spaces that are planned, designed and managed to achieve the "triple bottom line" of being economical, environmentally friendly and improving the quality of life. The quality of life dimension addressed here is the sound environment (soundscape) which we experience in those spaces. Most places that we live, work, play and move through are OPEN ACCESS

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Aesthetic and affective effects of vocal and traffic noise on natural landscape assessment

Cited by 94 publications

References 21 publications

Human Responses to Simulated Motorized Noise in National Parks

Human Responses to Simulated Motorized Noise in National Parks

Effects of landscape on soundscape perception: Soundwalks in city parks

Understanding Soundscapes

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