Evaluation of subjective impressions of footstep noise from combinations of high-heeled shoes and flooring materials

In public spaces, such as libraries or stations, people often become uncomfortable or distracted by the sound of other people walking. In particular, the loud "click-clack" sound from high-heeled footwear can be unpleasant. In this study, the author investigated the subjective impressions of young women and men, aged 20 - 30 years (mean age = 22 years, SD = 2.0), for footstep noise caused by combinations of three types of 7-cm high heel (i.e., stiletto, chunky, and corn heels) and six types of flooring materials (i.e., concrete tile, concrete block, wooden board, PVC tile, ceramic tile, and fiber carpet). In rating experiments, the auditory stimuli were presented via headphones to individual participants. Experimental results show that the female and male participants had significantly similar overall impressions of the footstep noise. For chunky heels and a hard material (i.e., concrete block, concrete tile, or ceramic tile), the footstep sound was rated as noisier or unpleasant. For a soft flooring material, particularly fiber carpet, the footstep sound was rated as quieter or pleasant, regardless of the type of footwear used. A participant's subjective impression of the footstep noise had a significant effect on the level of her or his evaluation.