A revised model of noise sensitivity

Abstract Earlier definitions of noise sensitivity implicitly presupposed that some sounds can objectively be defined as noise and that some people are intrinsically more sensitive to it. Moreover, noise sensitivity has typically been thought to moderate the relationship between noise exposure and the feeling of annoyance. This cannot be true though, because the experience of sound as noise is subjective. We therefore suggest that noise sensitivity is actually the process whereby a sound is identified as noise. Using semi-structured interviews, this paper presents the results of a qualitative study focusing on the factors related to noise sensitivity, forming the basis of a revised model of noise sensitivity. Study participants were asked to share their thoughts and experiences of being sensitive to noise. Based on their responses, a thematic analysis was used to generate themes related to noise sensitivity. New factors such as masking and perceived control over the sound emerged and were incorporated into the model. The model was also modified by explicitly adopting the terminology ‘low road’ and ‘high road’ to describe inputs from the limbic system and the cortex, respectively. The revised model elucidates the potential mechanisms underlying the experience of noise, thereby providing avenues for reducing the level of harm to those who experience it.