Assessing the influence of individual factors on visual and auditory preference for rural landscape: the case of Chengdu, China

Abstract

The fast pace of work life has resulted in increased attention toward the rural landscape. Most research on rural landscapes has focused on visual preferences based on public consensus, but in-depth studies assessing a broad range of individual factors influencing visual and auditory preferences are still lacking. This study assessed the influence of 6 social/demographic/health factors and 7 visit-related factors on the preference for 11 visual and auditory elements of rural environments. Visit-related factors had a more significant impact on landscape preference than social/demographical/health factors. Length of stay was the most important factor, associated with 5 visual elements and 4 sounds. Females and older people showed greater preference for biological sounds. Thus, it is necessary to pay attention to the influence of individual factors on landscape preference and strengthen the support of rural internal and external environment to people’s needs to provide more rich and satisfying experiences in rural areas.