Soundscapes for Well-being
Soundscapes for Well–being is a pilot study to better understand how the members of the Dalhousie University community—including students, staff, instructors, and visitors—respond to natural sounds played in common spaces and whether exposure to such sounds on campus can improve their emotional and mental well-being.
Our goal is to inform university strategies for improving the university campus environment by incorporating nature sounds that may reduce stress and improve well-being.
Previous research demonstrates that exposure to natural environments can reduce stress and helps to restore mental well-being. However, we need to learn more about how nature sounds can impact student well–being, especially in places such as universities.
The study is led by Mikiko Terashima & Kate Thompson with the School of Planning at Dalhousie University. It is funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) and approved as Dalhousie Research Ethics Board file #2026-8619.
Any member of the Dalhousie University community aged 16 years or older – students, staff, faculty, and visitors – can participate in the study.
To collect data for the research, the research team will be playing recordings of nature sounds (including bird song, rain, ocean waves, and wind in trees) that have been collected in the Halifax area. Participants will spend time in an indoor common space in a Dalhousie building on the Studley and Sexton campuses in Halifax when the nature sound recordings are being played:
1. The reception area of the Dentistry Building
2. The kitchen in the School of Health and Human Performance
3. Study lounges adjacent to hallways in the Marion McCain Building
4. Lounge spaces in O’Brien Hall, School of Planning
[We will include times that the sounds are being played once they are confirmed.]
A combination of surveys and interviews will be used to gather data on how participants respond to the nature sounds. Participants may choose to participate in an online survey, interview, or both.
If you choose to participate in a survey (approximately 10 minutes) or interview (approximately 30 minutes), you will answer questions about your experiences while listening to the sounds, including about your stress levels, well–being, sound preferences, and the usefulness of this type of installation in the future at Dalhousie.
General findings of this research will be shared through a combination of research papers, media within the Dalhousie University community, and presentations. The research outcomes might contribute to new knowledge on whether and how university common spaces that include nature sounds can improve well–being.