Soundscape assessment methods: Compatibility of questionnaires and narrative interview based on ISO 12913-2

Abstract

With the introduction of the concept of soundscape, various studies on soundscape evaluation methods and tools have been proposed. Data collection protocols for such studies have been standardized in ISO 12913-2: method A (questionnaire), method B (questionnaire + narrative interview), and method C (narrative interview). However, the compatibility of responses between assessment tools remains controversial because each researcher uses the protocols considered appropriate for the experimental design depending on their judgment. Therefore, in this study, compatibility of the data collection protocols in the ISO standard is compared in a virtual reality (VR) environment that comprises 10 locations in urban environments with different functions, e.g., parks, public spaces. A total of 50 subjects were asked to answer a variety of questions regarding sound source identification, perceived affective quality, and overall quality- the same soundscape evaluation session was repeated three times. Methods A and B showed highly consistent responses even though their contents were somewhat different. Moreover, the results of method C corresponded well with those of methods A and B in terms of vocabulary frequency and semantic connection. Based on these findings, this study proposes a guideline for using assessment tools for urban soundscape evaluation. ? Proceedings of 2020 International Congress on Noise Control Engineering, INTER-NOISE 2020. All rights reserved.