Soundscape: The Holistic Understanding of Acoustic Environments

The expanded recognition of soundscape studies has resulted in a research domain composed of various disciplinary perspectives and, at times, contradictory interpretations of what is meant by “soundscape.” At its core, soundscape is a construct of human perception that factors in the entirety of an acoustic environment and the individual’s responses to it. This stands in contrast to the acoustic environment, which is simply the composition of acoustic stimuli in an environment. The baseline of human perception in soundscape was recognized by the International Organization for Standardization in ISO 12913-1 (ISO 2014), which emphasizes the interrelationships between person, activity, and physical place in both space and time. The breadth of one’s responses beyond auditory sensation can be much more complex than reactions to noise. The meaning an individual ascribes to sounds, individual’s attitude and expectations toward the acoustic environment, socioeconomic and cultural background, and life experiences all play a role. The complexity of interrelationships between context and listener can only be understood through a multilateral, holistic approach in the field of soundscape study. This chapter traces the broad trajectory of soundscape studies to contextualize a holistic approach and concludes by highlighting various holistic research projects that sought to enhance the quality of acoustic environments and living situations.