Examining the Associations between Oases Soundscape Components and Walking Speed: Correlation or Causation?

Abstract

The feeling of calm and tranquillity provided by the oases of Algeria can disappear because of the outdated urbanization strategy which is based on the vehicle as a mode of transport. Walkability is one of the most adoptable sustainable strategies to reduce the negative mechanical transportation effects on the quality of life. This paper aimed to examine the correlation and the causation between oases soundscape components and walking speed. The methodology of this field study was based on an empirical approach at the urban settlements in three oases in Algeria. The correlation between walking speed and soundscape components was obtained through the use of the Spearman correlation test. A one-way ANOVA analysis was conducted to assess the effect of the soundscape components on walking speed. A post hoc Tukey test was adopted to explore the sound component that causes increased walking speed. In this study, no significant correlation was explored between the walking speed and the anthrophonical sounds. In contrast, the statistical analysis of the sound walks experience suggests a moderate and significant negative correlation between geophonical and biophonical sounds, with mean walking speed. The results showed that, the cause of the increase in the mean walking speed of the pedestrians is human sound. The findings suggest that further research is needed to focus on the long-term subjective investigation to explore the correlations and the effects between soundscape, walkability and walking speed.

Quantification of the Outdoor Thermal Comfort within Different Oases Urban Fabrics

“…The study is conducted in Tolga city (34 • 43 00 N and 5 • 23 00 E), in Biskra region [42], and 363 km the south-east of the capital Algiers (Figure 2); it represents the most significant Tolga Oasis Complex territory in Algeria [43]. The Oasis Complex is composed of 6 oases cities polarized by Tolga city, which presents the biggest urban area of the Oasis Complex.…”

Semantic Crowdsourcing of Soundscapes Heritage: A Mojo Model for Data-Driven Storytelling

“…Audiovisual and soundscape-related heritage initiatives also emerge, focusing on historical sound records and landscapes preserved, re-created, and reproduced as means of intangible CH expressions [25][26][27][28][29]. Furthermore, the impact of environmental sounds, noise, and soundscape components is analyzed on various aspects of modern human life, i.e., examining their associations with the residents' physical/mental health, perception, and behavior, aiming to unveil factors of sustainable growth and development and overall quality of life as well [30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37]. Social media soundscape information can serve for the prediction of health effects of noise pollution in different areas [38].…”

Redefinition of Park Design Criteria as a Result of Analysis of Well-Being and Soundscape: The Case Study of the Kortowo Park (Poland)

“…According to park users, the most attractive areas in terms of relaxation, and at the same time significantly influencing well-being, are the lakeshore (points [8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15]) and in the central part of the park (points 14, [21][22][23]). In the central part, park users identified micro-interiors with tall forms of vegetation, mostly deciduous trees, as places of special importance (Figure 6, well-being).…”

“…Among the numerous studies on the planning of recreational areas in the city in a pro-health sense, there are issues related to green therapy, hortitherapy [ 5 ], well-being [ 6 ], biophilia [ 7 ], and restorative effects of the natural environment [ 8 , 9 , 10 ]. The research domain of soundscape is also becoming more and more important, as evidenced by numerous studies relating to communication spaces [ 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 ], urban [ 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 ], or suburban built environment [ 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 ]. On the other hand, there are fewer studies on methods for minimizing the harmful effects of noise caused by human activity (e.g., transportation) in relation to parks and urban green areas [ 23 ], which potentially can improve the well-being of residents.…”