Going beyond Quietness: Determining the Emotionally Restorative Effect of Acoustic Environments in Urban Open Public Spaces

Karmele Herranz-Pascual, Itziar Aspuru, Ioseba Iraurgi, Álvaro Santander, Jose Luis Eguiguren and Igone García
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Karmele Herranz-Pascual: TECNALIA Research and Innovation, Parque Tecnológico de Bizkaia, Calle Geldo, Edificio 700, 48160 Derio, Bizkaia, Spain
Itziar Aspuru: TECNALIA Research and Innovation, Parque Tecnológico de Bizkaia, Calle Geldo, Edificio 700, 48160 Derio, Bizkaia, Spain
Ioseba Iraurgi: DeustoPsych, University of Deusto, Unibertsitate Etorb. 24, 48007 Bilbao, Bizkaia, Spain
Álvaro Santander: TECNALIA Research and Innovation, Parque Tecnológico de Bizkaia, Calle Geldo, Edificio 700, 48160 Derio, Bizkaia, Spain
Jose Luis Eguiguren: TECNALIA Research and Innovation, Parque Tecnológico de Bizkaia, Calle Geldo, Edificio 700, 48160 Derio, Bizkaia, Spain
Igone García: TECNALIA Research and Innovation, Parque Tecnológico de Bizkaia, Calle Geldo, Edificio 700, 48160 Derio, Bizkaia, Spain

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 16, issue 7, 1-20

Abstract: The capacity of natural settings to promote psychological restoration has attracted increasing research attention, especially with regards to the visual dimension. However, there is a need to extend these studies to urban settings, such as squares, parks or gardens, due to the global trend towards urbanisation, and to integrate the dimension of sound into landscape. Such was the main aim of this study, in which 53 participants assessed four public spaces in Vitoria-Gasteiz (Spain) as part of the CITI-SENSE Project (137 observations were used for analysis). A smartphone application was used to simultaneously collect objective and subjective data. The results show that at the end of the urban environmental experience, there was a statistically significant reduction in negative emotions and perceived stress, and a slight increase in positive emotions. Emotional restoration was mainly associated with prior emotional states, but also with global environmental comfort and acoustic comfort. The soundscape characteristics that contributed to greater emotional restoration and a reduction in perceived stress were pleasantness, calm, fun and naturalness. Therefore, in agreement with previous research, the findings of the present study indicate that besides contributing to the quietness of the urban environment, the urban soundscape can promote psychological restoration in users of these spaces.

Keywords: quietness; soundscape; psychological restoration; emotions; acoustic environment; urban open public spaces; urban design (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

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