Proposed conceptual model of environmental experience as framework to study the soundscape

A proposed general conceptual model about environmental experience is presented in this paper to guide the soundscape studies. This proposal is the output of a review of the literature on soundscape and our experience regarding psychosocial studies in the Labien- Tecnalia Environmental Unit focuses on the relationship between environment and persons or communities. The general model has been structured around five main elements: person (community), place, activity, previous interaction between person and place, and environmental experience. The environmental experience is, in this model, a holistic experience within that soundscape and is linked to other perceptions, such as landscape, odour, etc. The relevant factors and variables of each main element have been identified to help us to explain human and social holistic experience in relation to place, in general, and soundscape (perception) in particular. The main objective of this paper is to present this model and to discuss it with interested colleagues.