Experimental research on sound preferences for dynamic waterscapes

We collected the soundscape data of dynamic waterscape sounds implemented in different geographical environments, and studied the relationships between sound pleasantness and the influencing factors by laboratory test,using 5-point Liket scale. These factors include physical characteristics, visual pleasantness of waterscape morphologies and environments and examinees. The results show that without visual influences, a negative relationship was found between pleasantness and LAeq(r_p=-0.981, p<0.01). And there was a positive relationship between pleasantness and temporal variability(r_p=0.720,p<0.05). When the spectral centroid had relationship with LAeq and temporal variability, a negative relationship was also found between pleasantness and spectral centroid(r_p=-0.867, p<0.01).Playing the waterscape morphologies and environment silent films, the visual pleasantness was evaluated. Then playing waterscape sounds combined with the visual impacts, it was found that the waterscapes and environments with higher visual pleasantness had improved the sound pleasantness of the loud steady-state waterscapes, on the contrary, those with lower visual pleasantness had reduced the sound pleasantness of soft variable waterscapes. There were certain gender and regional differences. The sound pleasantness score of Jinan Heihu spring evaluated by local residents was higher than the others. So, the waterscape sound pleasantness was influenced by the physical characteristics, visual pleasantness of waterscape and environments and examinees.