Predicting the Perceived Restorative Potential of Bird Sounds Through Acoustics and Aesthetics

Abstract

Some, but not all, bird sounds are associated with perceptions of restoration from stress and cognitive fatigue. The perceptual properties that might underpin these differences are understudied. In this online study, ratings of perceived restorative potential (PRP) and aesthetic properties of 50 bird sounds were provided by 174 residents of the United Kingdom. These were merged with data on objectively measured acoustic properties of the sounds. Regression analyses demonstrated that sound level, harmonics, and frequency, and perceptions of complexity, familiarity, and pattern, were significant predictors of PRP and cognitive and affective appraisals of bird sounds. These findings shed light on the structural and perceptual properties that may influence restorative potential of acoustic natural stimuli. Finally, through their potential associations with meaning, these findings highlight the importance of further study of semantic or meaning-based properties within the restorative environments literature.

Modifying and co-creating the urban soundscape through digital technologies

“…This showed that the sound of birds is generally preferred but also that the species should match the expectation created by the (visual) environment. This finding is in agreement with earlier studies that explored the perceived restoration potential of bird sound (Ratcliffe et al, 2018) and the effect of bird biodiversity on well-being (Hedblom et al, 2017). The choice of water and wind sounds in the pre-study was also very specific.…”

Urban green space soundscapes and their perceived restorativeness

“…Previous studies have demonstrated bird songs are largely rated positively (Hedblom et al, 2014;Krzywicka & Byrka, 2017) and, correspondingly, associated with greater restoration (Krzywicka & Byrka, 2017). While Ratcliffe et al (2013Ratcliffe et al ( , 2020 reported that loud bird sounds can be perceived as more threatening and less restorative, in our study the perceptions of bird call volume were associated with greater restoration. This may indicate that perceived bird volume was related to perceptions of more birds being present in the recording, that is, a higher abundance, rather than the loudness of birds per se, a notion supported by the high correlation of perceived bird awareness with perceived bird volume.…”

Sound and Soundscape in Restorative Natural Environments: A Narrative Literature Review

“…Similar findings are reported by Hume and Ahtamad (2013), in which wave sounds and birdsong were rated as very pleasant but the sound of foxes was not. Work by Ratcliffe et al (2013Ratcliffe et al ( , 2016Ratcliffe et al ( , 2020 shows that there is variation even within a single category of nature sound (bird songs and calls): songbirds are qualitatively and quantitatively regarded as more pleasant, relaxing, and potentially restorative than birds which make rough, noisy, and simple calls, or those which have negative meanings or associations. Zhao et al (2020) have linked crow sounds specifically to lower evaluations of the perceived restorativeness of park soundscapes, while woodpeckers and sparrows are related to more positive evaluations.…”

“…Sounds are not mentioned in the original theoretical work, yet visually complex scenes can be represented through acoustically complex soundscapes (Andringa and Lanser, 2013) and in developing a measure of perceived restorativeness of soundscapes Payne (2013) has shown that ART can be applied to acoustic experiences. Even the acoustic and aesthetic properties of individual sounds (bird songs and calls) are related to assessments of perceived restorativeness (Ratcliffe et al, 2020). Work by Qiu et al (2021) on natural soundscapes during the COVID-19 pandemic suggests that acoustic features of an environment can impact directly on appraisals of ART constructs of extent and fascination, while being away and compatibility may be indirect products of these appraisals.…”