Neurophysiological and perceptual insights into the benefits of natural sound masking in open-plan offices

Solorio, Alejandro, Alonso-Valerdi, Luz Maria, & Ibarra-Zarate, David I. (2026). Neurophysiological and perceptual insights into the benefits of natural sound masking in open-plan offices. Applied Acoustics, 248, 111267. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apacoust.2026.111267

Abstract

Open-plan offices while promoting collaboration, are often plagued by poor acoustic conditions, with conversational noise being a primary source of distraction and cognitive strain. This study investigates the efficacy of a speech-shaped natural sound masker in improving the soundscape and reducing mental workload in a simulated open-plan office. A convergent parallel mixed-methods design was employed with thirty-six participants, integrating subjective soundscape appraisal (ISO 12913-2), NASA-TLX workload ratings, and electroencephalography (EEG)-based neural indices during the performance of realistic office tasks. Comparisons were made between an unmasked office soundscape and a masked version incorporating natural sounds filtered through the long-term speech spectrum. Results demonstrated that the natural masker significantly enhanced soundscape pleasantness and reduced annoyance and eventfulness. Subjectively, participants reported lower frustration, effort, and temporal demand, alongside improved performance. Neurophysiological data revealed EEG patterns indicative of reduced cognitive load and more efficient attentional control under masking, particularly during speech events. The findings provide novel evidence that spectrally tuned natural masking can effectively mitigate the disruptive effects of speech while maintaining perceptual acceptability. This study underscores the value of a multimodal, user-centred framework for advancing office acoustic design, bridging the gap between perceptual assessment and objective cognitive metrics.

Funder

Tecnologico de Monterrey
Acoustical Society of America.

Publisher

Elsevier

Rights

CC BY

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