Speaker
Description
The acoustic environment can be assessed using two related but conceptually different frameworks: the soundscape approach defined in ISO/TS 12913-2:2018 and the noise annoyance approach described in ISO/TS 15666:2021. Their comparison is particularly important in relation to annoyance. In the soundscape framework, “annoying” is one of eight perceptual attributes, whereas in ISO/TS 15666 annoyance is generally understood as a long-term response to noise exposure. Despite the shared terminology, these concepts may refer to different perceptual phenomena. This study examines the relationship between ratings of the eight soundscape attributes and overall annoyance ratings, and explores the conceptual compatibility of the two frameworks. The analysis is based on 27 audio samples from the Soundscape Attributes Translation Project dataset recorded in London. Statistical compatibility between the two approaches is assessed using mixed-effects modelling. Particular attention is given to whether the “annoying” attribute in the Soundscape Circumplex Model can be treated as equivalent to annoyance evaluated according to ISO/TS 15666, or whether it reflects a distinct, more affective dimension of soundscape perception. The findings are discussed in terms of whether noise annoyance ratings can be modeled using the circumplex structure and the full set of eight soundscape attributes.