Cross-cultural comparison of soundscape evaluation between Japanese and Vietnamese using standardized attributes

The Soundscape Attributes Translation Project (SATP) was initiated to translate English standardized perceptual attributes of the ISO/TS 12913-2:2018 into various languages. This paper outlines the translation and utilization of Vietnamese and Japanese attributes in standardized listening experiments and evaluates their effectiveness in assessing specific sound environments in Vietnam and Japan. The study was conducted in two parts: (1) a listening evaluation experiment, in which Vietnamese and Japanese participants listened to 27 binaural recordings provided by the SATP project to examine the differences in subjective evaluations of the same sound environment between Japanese and Vietnamese; and (2) a survey on Vietnamese and Japanese perceptions of sound environments in public spaces using the standardized attributes and scales proposed by the SATP project. For part 2, twelve study sites were selected in Japan and Vietnam based on their distinct landscape and acoustic characteristics. The research methodology involved analyzing physical indices of each soundscape context from the recording data and subjective evaluation experiments. The results revealed cultural differences in soundscape evaluations between Japanese and Vietnamese, which could potentially impact people's perception of soundscapes. These findings provide a basis for proposing soundscape designs that align with the values and perceptions of residents in specific environments.