Popis: |
Whether or not people habituate and/or adapt to a negative soundscape remains a contentious issue. The Sydney Airport Health Study has involved interviews with residents before, soon after, and several years after the runways were reconfigured. Noise increased in some low‐noise areas and decreased in some high‐noise areas (while other areas remained highly exposed and unchanged, or minimally exposed to aircraft noise). Of the pre‐reconfiguration sample, 23.6% reported getting used to the noise. This paper examines the factors which predict who will get used to the noise and who will not, by regression against a number of predictors: noise exposure, sensitivity, attitude, personality, age, gender. The post‐reconfiguration studies also allow examination of the speed with which reaction changes with changed exposure, and the factors which predict changes in reaction. Underlying mechanisms other than adaptation and habituation are considered. |