Human and bird sounds make people feel at ease, says study
Posted on: 18/Aug/2015 11:24:44 AM
A study published in the International Journal of Marketing has said that songs by birds and human vocal cords give people a sense of security. According to the study, these sounds make people feel a social presence and so gives them a sense of security in public places. The same applies when one is in an ill lit or crowded area. The study was conducted by researchers at the Ross School of Business`s Sensory Marketing Laboratory at the University of Michigan.
According to researchers, There is a feeling of unease when people are alone in public places, such as a parking garage, metro station or airport tunnel... This doesn`t just give people bad feelings. It can have negative business effects when people actively avoid such areas. We know some retailers have used ambient sounds to affect customers moods and time perceptions. We wondered if the correct ambient sound could also make people feel secure.
The scientists conducted the study in a parking garage in Paris. They held four lab experiments also. These were to analyse the effects of different kinds of ambient noise and silence on emotions and behaviour patterns. The study was to study the effect of the behaviour of people when in an underground parking lot or at a metro station.
At the underground parking lot, the scientists played classical instrumental music, bird songs and also no sound at all. They found that those who heard the bird songs felt more at ease than those who heard the other two. The researchers also add human vocal sounds and found that people reacted positively to those as well.
The researchers then tested consumer behaviour based on the same sounds. The people were shown a video of a metro station with the sounds playing in the background. After that, they were asked questions about the station and their perceptions of it. They were also asked if they would buy a monthly pass at the station. The results showed that those who heard the human and bird songs were willing to buy the pass, whereas those who heard the classical music and no sound did not.
Say the researchers, We provide some real-world evidence that appropriately chosen ambient sounds introduced in public spaces perceived to be dangerous can increase human comfort and feelings of safety... Bird songs and human vocal sounds give a sense of social presence and seem to be the most effective to use. They even lead to more positive consumer responses and overall higher satisfaction with these places.
