Effects of hearing loss and hearing aids on environmental sound ratings in the lab and real world

This study investigated how hearing loss and hearing aid use affect environmental sound ratings in laboratory and real-world contexts using the soundscape framework. Forty-four participants (17 normal hearing, 14 with unaided hearing loss, and 13 hearing aid users) rated environmental sounds from four categories (nature, animal, human, machine) on pleasantness and eventfulness dimensions in the laboratory and in daily life via ecological momentary assessment. Sound category was a primary determinant of ratings in both contexts, with nature and animal sounds rated most pleasant across groups. Hearing loss selectively elevated eventfulness ratings for nature and animal sounds but did not alter the overall category hierarchy. Hearing aids produced no consistent effects on ratings. Phase scrambling reduced eventfulness for normal-hearing listeners but not for listeners with hearing loss, suggesting differential reliance on temporal fine structure for eventfulness across groups. Pleasantness ratings were higher in the real world than in the laboratory, particularly for human and animal sounds, and showed moderate lab-to-real-world correspondence. Eventfulness showed little correspondence across contexts. These findings suggest that the basic structure of soundscape experience is resilient to hearing loss, and that pleasantness and eventfulness capture distinct aspects of environmental sound perception differentially affected by hearing loss and context.