Exploring the relationship between urban acoustic environments and mental well-being

Urban acoustic environments are generally perceived in terms of annoying or pleasant sounds. The study of environmental noise and soundscape has established some links with people’s physical and mental health, suggesting that it may indeed influence well-being. However, this broader concept has not been sufficiently explored in relation to the acoustic environment. Here a mixed methodology was designed and applied in a neighborhood in Valdivia, southern Chile, with the aim to explore the relationship between urban acoustic environments and mental well-being. Urban road traffic noise and annoyance were quantified through noise mapping and measurements. Perceived soundscape of visitors in the neighborhood was assessed through guided soundwalks under deep listening and surveys. Self-reported mental well-being was evaluated based on the perceptions of the residents in walking interviews. We found that biophony and geophony sounds induced positive states of mental well-being, and urban places with highest prevalence of such sounds were mostly assessed as vibrant, with positive levels of pleasantness and eventfulness. Nevertheless, the most common source of urban noise was road traffic noise, which had a negative impact on mental well-being by evoking emotions of annoyance and discomfort. Despite this, in places where the soundscape was conducive to a mental well-being, road traffic noise was informationally masked. Investigating the acoustic environment though its noise and soundscape permitted to better understand and relate the self-reported emotions found in the well-being interviews. Likewise, collecting perceptions of visitors and residents independently provided coherent results, suggesting an equivalent perception of the soundscape by both groups.