What is a Soundscape? (Definition and Science of Hearing)

Soundscapes are inescapable. Every place has one and you are always in one. Each is unique to a specific location and changes by the minute. A soundscape is all audible sounds within a specific area.

To dig deeper into what a soundscape is, let’s take a look at its roots. The word “soundscape” is made of two parts: “sound” and “scape.” All sounds are vibrations. These vibrations travel to our inner ear, where they are turned into electrical signals, and then sent to the brain for interpretation. The suffix -scape means scene, picture or view. We all know this suffix from the word “landscape.”

Much like how a landscape describes the view of all the land around you, a soundscape describes the audio of all the sounds around you. If you close your eyes, you can paint a picture of your surroundings based on sound. We can do this thanks to our binaural hearing. This allows us to pinpoint where sounds come from; to the left or right, front or back and even above or below. This picture is best described as a landscape of sound.

Not only are soundscapes unique to specific locations, they are also unique to each person hearing them. Before we look at the factors influencing soundscape perception, we need to better understand how our sense of hearing works.

The Process of Hearing

Before sounds are registered by the brain, they must travel through the ear. First, sound waves hit the outer ear and are channeled into the external auditory canal. Here, they travel until contacting the ear drum, causing it to vibrate. The vibrations of the ear drum engage the three bones of the inner ear in succession.

The malleus, also called the hammer, is the first to receive vibrations from the ear drum. It transmits these vibrations to the incus which then passes them to the stapes. The stapes pushes in and out on an area called the oval window, which transmits the vibrations to the cochlea.

The cochlea is a fluid-filled structure that is coiled up into a snail-like form. Within this structure is our organ for hearing, the organ of Corti (organ of hearing). The organ of Corti is made up of tiny hair cells that are responsible for transforming the received vibrations into electrical impulses. These electrical signals are then sent to the brain via the auditory nerve.

When these electrical signals reach the brain, they are turned into a sound we recognize and understand. With this understanding, we can now examine how individuals may perceive the same sound differently.

Factors Influencing Soundscape Perception

Bone density can change the way our bodies interact with, and interpret sounds. The three bones in the inner ear (malleus, incus, stapes) are unique to each person. Changes in the density and shape of these bones will cause slightly different sound vibrations to be transmitted to the cochlea.
Age plays a large role in hearing. Most people over the age of 65 experience some form of hearing loss. This is caused by damage to the tiny hair cells in the cochlea. These cells do not grow back and if enough of them become damaged or die, your hearing will be affected.
Brain chemistry and its relation to sound interpretation is an emerging science. When the brain receives electrical signals from the auditory nerve, it transforms them into sound. Researchers have found that the brain can interpret the same sound in different ways. The cause of these differences depends on surrounding. For example, “We know, for instance, that people learn to respond without alarm to the honk of a car horn if heard from the safety of their homes, but are startled to hear the same sound while crossing a busy street.” -Dr. Froemke
Sensitivity to environmental noise can dramatically how someone perceives sound. Some people are hyper sensitive to certain frequencies of sound. What may sound completely normal to one person may be traumatic or excruciatingly painful for another. Common sound sensitivity diagnoses are PTSD and hyperacusis.

How Age Affects Hearing

People with impaired hearing will not be as sensitive to sounds and certain frequencies may be completely inaudible. This will change the way they perceive a soundscape. Their landscape of sound will be slightly muted and not as detailed.

There is no single cause to hair cell damage and it’s believed that the associated hearing loss is caused by repeated exposure to sounds ≥ 80 decibels. The following are some of the most common sounds at or exceeding this threshold.

Sound	Decibels
Hair dryer, lawn mower, telephone	78-80
Heavy traffic, garbage disposal, truck	85-90
Electric drill, motorcycle	95-100
Chainsaw, leaf blower	106-110
Sports crowd, concert, jackhammer	120-125

To protect yourself from hearing loss you should limit your exposure the sounds listed above and avoid them if possible. If you know you will be around sounds on this list for an extended amount of time, prepare yourself and bring ear protection!

There are other negative impacts associated with soundscapes besides hearing loss. There are also positive benefits associated with other soundscapes. Read on to learn the difference and how to find the perfect soundscape for you.

RELATED: Can You Meditate To Nature Sounds?

Soundscape Effect on Well-Being

The more we learn about sound, the more we realize how powerful an effect it has on us. This research has largely been motivated by the increasing concern of noise pollution. The most common forms of noise pollution are:

Aircraft (jets and airplanes)
Traffic (cars, trucks etc.)
Construction Sites

Soundscapes that feature these sounds frequently can negatively impact your health. Stress, increased heart-rate, hypertension, anxiety and worry are just some of the side effects of noisy soundscapes. I’ve written an entire blog post on this topic you can read here.

On the other hand, some soundscapes can have health benefits. Beneficial soundscapes are also unique to the individual and depends on what sound you find most pleasing. Studies have shown that natural sounds are accepted as the most pleasing on average. Surrounding yourself with pleasing sounds can help decrease stress and anxiety and promote states of relaxation.

Takeaways

Now that you know what a soundscape is and their effects, I hope you will pay more attention to the sounds around you. Discover what soundscapes you like the best and the ones you like the least. Schedule time to enjoy your favorite soundscapes and reap the rewards!

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