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Sounds of Nature in the City: No Evidence of Bird Song Improving Stress Recovery

Author

Listed:
  • Marcus Hedblom

    (Department of Forest Resource Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 901 83 Umeå, Sweden
    Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden)

  • Bengt Gunnarsson

    (Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, 405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden)

  • Martin Schaefer

    (Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden)

  • Igor Knez

    (Department of Social Work and Psychology, University of Gävle, 801 76 Gävle, Sweden)

  • Pontus Thorsson

    (Division of Applied Acoustics, Chalmers University of Technology, 412 96 Gothenburg, Sweden)

  • Johan N. Lundström

    (Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
    Monell Chemical Senses Center, Philadelphia, PA 19104-3308, USA
    Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 191 04, USA
    Stockholm University Brain Imaging Centre, Stockholm University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden)

Abstract

Noise from city traffic is one of the most significant environmental stressors. Natural soundscapes, such as bird songs, have been suggested to potentially mitigate or mask noise. All previous studies on masking noise use self-evaluation data rather than physiological data. In this study, while respondents ( n = 117) watched a 360° virtual reality (VR) photograph of a park, they were exposed to different soundscapes and mild electrical shocks. The soundscapes—“bird song”, “bird song and traffic noise”, and “traffic noise”—were played during a 10 min recovery period while their skin conductance levels were assessed as a measure of arousal/stress. No significant difference in stress recovery was found between the soundscapes although a tendency for less stress in “bird song” and more stress in “traffic noise” was noted. All three soundscapes, however, significantly reduced stress. This result could be attributed to the stress-reducing effect of the visual VR environment, to the noise levels being higher than 47 dBA (a level known to make masking ineffective), or to the respondents finding bird songs stressful. Reduction of stress in cities using masking with natural sounds requires further studies with not only larger samples but also sufficient methods to detect potential sex differences.

Suggested Citation

  • Marcus Hedblom & Bengt Gunnarsson & Martin Schaefer & Igor Knez & Pontus Thorsson & Johan N. Lundström, 2019. "Sounds of Nature in the City: No Evidence of Bird Song Improving Stress Recovery," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(8), pages 1-12, April.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:16:y:2019:i:8:p:1390-:d:223780
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Louis-François Tétreault & Stéphane Perron & Audrey Smargiassi, 2013. "Cardiovascular health, traffic-related air pollution and noise: are associations mutually confounded? A systematic review," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 58(5), pages 649-666, October.
    2. Francesco Aletta & Jian Kang, 2018. "Towards an Urban Vibrancy Model: A Soundscape Approach," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-18, August.
    3. Tobia Lakes & Maria Br�ckner & Alexander Kr�mer, 2014. "Development of an environmental justice index to determine socio-economic disparities of noise pollution and green space in residential areas in Berlin," Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 57(4), pages 538-556, April.
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    Cited by:

    1. Francesco Aletta & Jian Kang, 2019. "Promoting Healthy and Supportive Acoustic Environments: Going beyond the Quietness," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(24), pages 1-4, December.
    2. Shilun Zhang & Xiaolong Zhao & Zixi Zeng & Xuan Qiu, 2019. "The Influence of Audio-Visual Interactions on Psychological Responses of Young People in Urban Green Areas: A Case Study in Two Parks in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(10), pages 1-14, May.
    3. Yasushi Suko & Tomoharu Shindo & Kaoru Saito & Norimasa Takayama & Shin’ichi Warisawa & Tetsuya Sakuma & Masaaki Ito & Pasi Kytölä & Tapio Nummi & Kalevi Korpela, 2022. "Alleviating Surgeons’ Stress through Listening to Natural Sounds in a Half-Encapsulated Rest Space after an Operation: A Pilot, Longitudinal Field Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-17, October.
    4. Angel M. Dzhambov & Peter Lercher & Drozdstoy Stoyanov & Nadezhda Petrova & Stoyan Novakov & Donka D. Dimitrova, 2021. "University Students’ Self-Rated Health in Relation to Perceived Acoustic Environment during the COVID-19 Home Quarantine," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(5), pages 1-21, March.

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