In most noise pollution research the sound source and the sound itself are the focal points of study. This article analyses the results of exploratory research on the socio-cultural and psychological context of the experience of noise.
Sound pollution is interpreted as a acoustical intrusion on personal space and on privacy.
For many the private home coincides with personal space, so sound can cause a feeling of crowding. The analyses focusses on the experience of vulnerability and powerlessness, the characteristics of noise and sounds and the properties of the human auditory organs. The article shows that the sharp distinction between acoustical and non-acoustical factors does not contribute to a better understanding of the complex process that leads to the experience of sound pollution. The conclusion contains arguments to include a socio-cultural perspective into the study of noise. Data from a questionnaire filled out by a representative sample of the Dutch population and interviews with 66 people show that canned jokes are told and appreciated more often by men than by wome, and are more popular among the working class and the lower middle class than among the higher middle class.