The Evolution of Soundscape Research (2000–2025): Identifying Theoretical and Methodological Gaps Through a Systematic Review

Document Type : Review Article

Authors

1 Assistant Professor, Department of Urban Planning, Faculty of Art and Architecture, University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj, Kurdistan, Iran.

2 Music instructor, Faculty of Art and Architecture, University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj, Kurdistan, Iran.

Abstract

Over the past 25 years, the field of soundscape studies has undergone a fundamental transformation, evolving from a collection of fragmented research efforts into a structured interdisciplinary domain. Despite the remarkable growth in scientific publications, the existing literature continues to face three major gaps: (1) the lack of a comprehensive understanding of the conceptual and methodological evolution of soundscape research; (2) the predominance of Western-centric perspectives in previous review studies; and (3) a significant disconnect between research findings and practical applications.
The aim of this study is to conduct a systematic review in order to (1) map the evolutionary trajectory of soundscape research across theoretical, methodological, and applied dimensions; (2) analyze the geographical distribution and cultural diversity of studies; (3) examine the influence of the ISO 12913 standards on the convergence or divergence of research methods; and (4) develop a theoretical model to explain patterns of evolution and existing gaps.
Following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines, a comprehensive search was conducted across six databases. From an initial set of 265 records, 50 studies were selected for final analysis. The findings identify five evolutionary phases and a four-layer model of soundscape evolution, revealing that while the theoretical and methodological layers have reached relative maturity, the contextual–cultural and applied layers remain underdeveloped—a phenomenon referred to in this study as the “paradox of uneven maturity.

Highlights

  • The present study, by integrating bibliometric analysis, qualitative content analysis, and the PRISMA framework, seeks to provide a comprehensive picture of the evolution of soundscape research across three levels: descriptive synthesis, conceptual synthesis, and interpretive synthesis.
  • Over the past 25 years, soundscape research has evolved from a purely acoustic field into an interdisciplinary and human-centered domain.
  • The multilayered model proposed in this article demonstrates that the observed changes in paradigms, methodologies, human perceptions, and practical applications collectively constitute a form of “uneven yet progressive maturation” of the field.

Keywords

References

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History

  • Receive Date: 03 February 2026
  • Revise Date: 22 March 2026
  • Accept Date: 07 April 2026
  • First Publish Date: 07 April 2026
  • Publish Date: 21 June 2026

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