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Description
Soundscape research generally assumes a uniform listener, yet people differ in how they process sound. This study tested whether neurotype shapes soundscape perception by comparing ADHD, Autistic and Neurotypical listeners (𝑛 = 30 per group) on ten field-recorded soundscapes, delivered online as binaural stereo and rated on the ISO 129132 perceptual circumplex through a calibrated interactive task. Across the pooled soundscapes, ADHD listeners rated the soundscapes as significantly less eventful than Neurotypical listeners (𝑝 = 0.043), while pleasantness was unaffected; no significant differences were found when all three groups were compared together. The ADHD effect was small but consistent, appearing in the same direction in eight of the ten soundscapes rather than being driven by any single soundscape. ADHD listeners also showed a non-significant trend towards more extreme responding. Consistent with recent evidence of preserved global auditory processing in autism, the Autistic group closely resembled the Neurotypical group on every measure (SPI = 92.4). The findings provide empirical support for an aural diversity framework for soundscape research, showing that neurodivergent groups differ from one another and should not be treated as a single category.