Personality Traits Bias the Perceived Quality of Sonic Environments

Abstract

Abstract:There have been few empirical investigations of how individual differences influence the perception of the sonic environment. The present study included the Big Five traits and noise sensitivity as personality factors in two listening experiments (n = 43, n = 45). Recordings of urban and restaurant soundscapes that had been selected based on their type were rated for Pleasantness and Eventfulness using the Swedish Soundscape Quality Protocol. Multivariate multiple regression analysis showed that ratings depended on the type and loudness of both kinds of sonic environments and that the personality factors made a small yet significant contribution. Univariate models explained 48% (cross-validated adjusted R 2 ) of the variation in Pleasantness ratings of urban soundscapes, and 35% of Eventfulness. For restaurant soundscapes the percentages explained were 22% and 21%, respectively. Emotional stability and noise sensitivity were notable predictors whose contribution to explaining the variation in quality ratings was between one-tenth and nearly half of the soundscape indicators, as measured by squared semipartial correlation. Further analysis revealed that 36% of noise sensitivity could be predicted by broad personality dimensions, replicating previous research. Our study lends empirical support to the hypothesis that personality traits have a significant though comparatively small influence on the perceived quality of sonic environments.

Monitoring Sound Levels and Soundscape Quality in the Living Rooms of Nursing Homes: A Case Study in Flanders (Belgium)

“…While the concept has attracted an increasing interest in urban studies, and outdoor environments more in general, it also applies to indoor contexts, particularly when they serve "public" functions, like service buildings, public libraries, transportation hubs, restaurants, or other commercial facilities [3][4][5].…”

Modeling Evaluations of Low-Level Sounds in Everyday Situations Using Linear Machine Learning for Variable Selection

“…In their study, all Big Five dimensions showed linear and independent effects on noise sensitivity and together accounted for 33% of variance. Similarly, Lindborg and Friberg (2016) reported that noise sensitivity can be predicted by extraversion and conscientiousness. Belojević and Jakovjlevic (2001) also investigated factors influencing sensitivity to noise and found that neuroticism was the only significant personrelated factor in noisy environments but had no significant effect in quiet areas.…”

“…Though Extraversion and Neuroticism (as well as all demographic variables) have often been discussed in relation to human sound evaluation, the results have been controversial (see the review by Fields, 1993). Even when all Big Five dimensions are considered together, a recent study by Lindborg and Friberg (2016) showed only small, albeit significant, effects.…”

Neuroanatomical substrate of noise sensitivity

“…According to the definition of Job (1999), it refers to physiological and psychological (also including attitudinal) internal states of any individual, which determines reactivity to noise. Noise sensitivity predicts noise annoyance (Stansfeld, 1992;van Kamp et al, 2004), and it influences one's evaluation of the soundscape's pleasantness (Lindborg and Friberg, 2016). Moreover, noise sensitivity moderates one's daily behaviour; for instance, noise-sensitive individuals rarely have music in the background (Kliuchko et al, 2015) and often use hearing protection at work (Heinonen-Guzejev et al, 2011).…”