Hear it here: Built environments predict ratings and descriptions of ambiguous sounds.
The built environments we move through are a filter for the stimuli we experience. If we are in a darker or a lighter room or space, a neutrally valenced sound could be perceived as more unpleasant or more pleasant. Past research suggests a role for the layout and lighting of a space in impacting ho...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2025-01-01
|
| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0316187 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1832540286047223808 |
|---|---|
| author | Brandon J Forys Emily Qi Rebecca M Todd Alan Kingstone |
| author_facet | Brandon J Forys Emily Qi Rebecca M Todd Alan Kingstone |
| author_sort | Brandon J Forys |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The built environments we move through are a filter for the stimuli we experience. If we are in a darker or a lighter room or space, a neutrally valenced sound could be perceived as more unpleasant or more pleasant. Past research suggests a role for the layout and lighting of a space in impacting how stimuli are rated, especially on bipolar valence scales. However, we do not know how affective experiences and descriptions of everyday auditory stimuli are impacted by built environments. In this study, we examine whether listening to a series of ambiguously valenced sounds in an older, darker building leads these sounds to be rated as less pleasant-and described using more negatively valenced language-compared to listening to these sounds in a newer building with more natural light. In a between-subjects design, undergraduate participants at an older building or a newer building (nOld = 46, nNew = 46; nFemale = 71, nMale = 18, MAge = 21.18, RangeAge = 17-38) listened to ten sounds that had previously been rated as ambiguous in valence, then rated these sounds on a bipolar valence scale before being asked to describe, in writing, how they felt about each sound. Participants rated sounds as being more pleasant at the New site compared to the Old site, but the sentiment of their descriptions only differed between sites when controlling for collinearity. However, bipolar scale ratings and description sentiment were highly correlated. Our findings suggest a role for the features of built environments in impacting how we appraise the valence of everyday sounds. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d6748683559647e2a43ef2bd37e3663f |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj-art-d6748683559647e2a43ef2bd37e3663f2025-02-05T05:31:26ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032025-01-01201e031618710.1371/journal.pone.0316187Hear it here: Built environments predict ratings and descriptions of ambiguous sounds.Brandon J ForysEmily QiRebecca M ToddAlan KingstoneThe built environments we move through are a filter for the stimuli we experience. If we are in a darker or a lighter room or space, a neutrally valenced sound could be perceived as more unpleasant or more pleasant. Past research suggests a role for the layout and lighting of a space in impacting how stimuli are rated, especially on bipolar valence scales. However, we do not know how affective experiences and descriptions of everyday auditory stimuli are impacted by built environments. In this study, we examine whether listening to a series of ambiguously valenced sounds in an older, darker building leads these sounds to be rated as less pleasant-and described using more negatively valenced language-compared to listening to these sounds in a newer building with more natural light. In a between-subjects design, undergraduate participants at an older building or a newer building (nOld = 46, nNew = 46; nFemale = 71, nMale = 18, MAge = 21.18, RangeAge = 17-38) listened to ten sounds that had previously been rated as ambiguous in valence, then rated these sounds on a bipolar valence scale before being asked to describe, in writing, how they felt about each sound. Participants rated sounds as being more pleasant at the New site compared to the Old site, but the sentiment of their descriptions only differed between sites when controlling for collinearity. However, bipolar scale ratings and description sentiment were highly correlated. Our findings suggest a role for the features of built environments in impacting how we appraise the valence of everyday sounds.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0316187 |
| spellingShingle | Brandon J Forys Emily Qi Rebecca M Todd Alan Kingstone Hear it here: Built environments predict ratings and descriptions of ambiguous sounds. PLoS ONE |
| title | Hear it here: Built environments predict ratings and descriptions of ambiguous sounds. |
| title_full | Hear it here: Built environments predict ratings and descriptions of ambiguous sounds. |
| title_fullStr | Hear it here: Built environments predict ratings and descriptions of ambiguous sounds. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Hear it here: Built environments predict ratings and descriptions of ambiguous sounds. |
| title_short | Hear it here: Built environments predict ratings and descriptions of ambiguous sounds. |
| title_sort | hear it here built environments predict ratings and descriptions of ambiguous sounds |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0316187 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT brandonjforys hearitherebuiltenvironmentspredictratingsanddescriptionsofambiguoussounds AT emilyqi hearitherebuiltenvironmentspredictratingsanddescriptionsofambiguoussounds AT rebeccamtodd hearitherebuiltenvironmentspredictratingsanddescriptionsofambiguoussounds AT alankingstone hearitherebuiltenvironmentspredictratingsanddescriptionsofambiguoussounds |