• The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
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• v.26 no.7
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• pp.306-316
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• 2007

Based on a concept of soundscape, this study aims to investigate Koreans' preference for auditory elements, features, and impressions depending upon the season, and examine how these auditory factors of soundstape and seasons interact with each other and attempt to discover their influence on people's auditory preferences. According to an environmental psychological approach called the caption evaluation method, 45 college students examined the soundscape of Namwon City while racing the streets in four seasons. In order to analyze the interactions between seasons and such auditory factors as elements, features, and impressions, it was conducted the GLM univariate analysis and the NPAR tests for independent samples. The results of the analyses show that there are interactive effects between seasons and auditory factors like elements, features, and impressions and that the auditory factors have an effect on auditory preference. Moreover, as for seasonal preference for auditory elements, it was found that people prefer natural sound in spring, summer, and fall while they prefer social sound in winter. Concerning seasonal preference for auditory features, people place a focus on the behaviors in spring, summer, and winter while they stress the surroundings in autumn, as for seasonal preference for auditory impressions, they make much of sound characteristics in spring and winter but they value the atmosphere of streets in summer and fall. The results of this study can he utilized as useful data in determining which auditory factors among elements, features, and impressions to take into consideration in a soundscape design.