Info - Project SPP


Soundscapes in public places

Bernd ROHRMANN  (University of Melbourne)

= AIM =

To observe and describe which kinds of sound occur in different public places (including teaching venues, music venues, cinemas, theatres, pubs/cafes/restaurants, transportation, shopping venues, sport venues), which average and peak levels the sounds create, how people exposed to such soundscapes respond, and what the impacts on socio-psychological processes such as interaction and communication are.

= STATUS =

This research is an exploratory project and has currently no formal funding. It is intended to continue it, including its cross-cultural extensions in Europe.

= SUB-STUDIES =

"Music in Cafes & Restaurants" <MCR>

Conducted so far: Honours project by Corrinna Burrows (1999); replication of sound measurements by Sonja Pedell (June 2000); further measurements by Manuel Voelkle (April 2001), Bernd Rohrmann (June 2002, May 2006), Sereina Oggier (August 2006).
Intended: Additional data collection in a wider set of venues, including outdoor eating places and pubs.
For a publication on "Soundscapes in restaurants" click here. 

"Sound levels in common-place situations"   <SLC>

Conducted so far:  Observations of sound levels during 24 hours (Sonja Pedell, 2001).
Underway: Documentation of sound levels cited in pertinent literature (BR).

"Sound levels and social interactions in music venues" <SIM>

Planned or underway: Exploratory observations in real-life situations by Sereina Oggier & Bernd Rohrmann (2006). Survey with a sample of visitors in three types of venues (pubs, cafes, gyms) by Anne Makin & Lilian Jansen (Feb-July 2005). Then development of a pertinent  standardized questionnaire (Bernd Rohrmann, 2007). 
A research report by Rohrmann, "Soundscapes- types and impacts of music imparted in public places" (2006), is available - click this.

"Music levels in Melbourne University eateries" <MLM>

Conducted so far:  Soundscape observations and measurements in 17 bistros and cafes (mostly student customers): Bernd Rohrmann, Sereina Oggier, Jennifer Makin (May-July 2006. 
A report by Rohrmann is available (Feb 2006); contact the author.

"Sound levels and social interactions in eateries with music" <SIE>

Conducted: Observations of customers in cafes & bistros, exploring the impacts of high music level on communication behaviors and on social interactions with others; carried out by Lydia Glick, Karmen Jobling, Deanne Domaschenz and Bernd Rohrmann (July 2007 to Dec 2007).

"Impacts of music exposure in public venues and the influence of cultural factors"   <IMC>

Conducted so far:  Survey by Margaret Blanch (2007) with customers in restaurants and gyms (Australians and foreigners); supervised & re-analyzed by Bernd Rohrmann.

"Sound levels and social interactions in eateries with music: Staff attitudes" <SSM>

Conducted so far: Exploratory interviews with managers and staff memember of pubs and bistros, by Karmen Jobling and Bernd Rohrmann (April-July 2008).
Intended: Similar survey in a wider range of venue types.

= CROSS-CULTURAL EXPANSION =
In order to enhance the validity of Project SPP, it was decided to run 'parallel' studies in Europe, in collaboration with colleagues at Leiden Univ., Netherlands; Hamburg Univ. and Bochum Univ., Germany; Zuerich Univ., Switzerland; Innsbruck Univ., Austria).
The first two of these were "Sound levels and social interactions in venues with music: Cross-cultural comparison"  <SIH> and "Music levels in Hamburg University eateries" <MLH>, both conducted in Hamburg (Oct 2007 to Feb 2008). A survey in various venue types in Innsbruck is underway since May 2008.
Furthermore, a collaboration with researchers at the Chinese University of HongKong is under consideration.

= Contact address =

A/Prof. Bernd ROHRMANN
Dept. of Psychology, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, AUSTRALIA
Phone +61 3 8344 6349   Fax 93476618    E-Mail  rohrmann@unimelb.edu.au    WebSite  http://www.rohrmannresearch.net
  


Updated: BR 02-12-08