Indoor Soundscape Perception in Residential Spaces: a Cross-Cultural Analysis in Ankara, Turkey

Abstract

Studies in the literature suggest that factors influencing soundscape perception are based heavily on sound environments and auditory perception. Nevertheless, in studying the soundscape perception of people living in certain acoustic environments, cultural, social and habitual criteria should be taken into consideration. Residential environments are where people spend most of their time. Therefore, understanding the soundscape perception in the residential context is significant for indoor soundscape studies. This research investigates the residential soundscape perception differences of two different culture groups living in Ankara, Turkey. A total of 405 Arab and Turkish residents are included in the study. The questionnaire findings are statistically analysed using one-way analysis of variance and t-test. The results suggest that the sound environment in a house setting is equally important for both culture groups, while the Arab residents showed a higher satisfaction level from their present sound environment in their residences. Furthermore, statistically significant differences have been found based on cultural variances of the two groups regarding the overall soundscape perception, sound source loudness, frequency of occurrence, and sound favourability evaluations.