Essay 9 - Collaboration between disciplines
- Art of Hearing | Dyon Scheijen
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
LFG Handbook
Essay 9
Collaboration between disciplines
Why low-frequency sound is not a single-discipline field
Reports of low-frequency noise often bring together various disciplines. Technical experts investigate potential sources and measure sound signals. Medical professionals examine hearing function and possible health aspects. Psychologists and other healthcare professionals may become involved when the nuisance leads to stress, sleep disturbance, or other complaints.
In many situations, however, it becomes clear that no single discipline can explain the entire problem alone.
That is precisely why collaboration between different perspectives is essential.
Different disciplines, different perspectives
Each discipline approaches sound from its own perspective.
Acoustics and technical analysis focus on the physical properties of sound. This involves examining frequencies, sound levels, potential sources, and the way sound travels through buildings and the environment.
Audiology and medical disciplines focus on the functioning of hearing and the way in which sound is processed by the auditory system.
Psychology and behavioral sciences examine processes such as attention, interpretation, and coping that can influence how sound is experienced.
In addition , public health organizations and government agencies also play an important role. In the Netherlands, for example, Municipal Health Services (GGDs) , environmental services , and the RIVM are involved in the investigation, assessment, and guidance of reports of low-frequency noise.
These organizations bring together different perspectives: technical analysis, health assessment, and societal context.
In addition, the broader societal context is playing an increasingly important role.
Developments such as the energy transition, increasing urbanization, and the construction of new residential areas are causing the living environment to change. New infrastructure, installations, and technical systems can contribute to changes in the soundscape, including low-frequency noise.
As a result, issues surrounding noise take on not only a technical or medical character, but also a spatial and policy dimension.
Municipalities, policymakers, and sectors such as the energy sector play an important role in this, because they are involved in the design of the living environment and the choices made within it.
This underscores that low-frequency sound is not only a matter of measurement and experience, but also of how we design and organize our environment.
The risk of separate perspectives
When these perspectives are applied independently, it can happen that professionals work at cross purposes.
A technical analysis can, for example, demonstrate that a noise level is relatively low, while residents still experience clear nuisance.
On the other hand, a strong focus on perception and experience can lead to the importance of thorough source research being underestimated.
When disciplines consider their own perspective as the sole explanation, this can lead to misunderstandings and frustration for all involved.
Towards an integrated approach
An integrated approach means that different perspectives are not pitted against each other, but connected.
Technical analysis can help to map possible sources and properties of sound.
Knowledge of the auditory system can provide insight into how sound is perceived.
Psychological insights can help to understand how attention, uncertainty, and context influence the experience of sound.
When these perspectives are considered together, a more complete picture of the situation emerges.
Practical experience: collaboration in Limburg
In various regions of the Netherlands, initiatives have emerged in which professionals from different disciplines collaborate on reports of low-frequency noise.
In Limburg, for example, a collaboration has existed for many years between Municipal Health Services , environmental services , and professionals from the audiological and acoustic fields.
Within this collaboration, a working group meets regularly to discuss experiences and cases. With the residents' consent, situations can be analyzed jointly from various perspectives.
These meetings offer an opportunity to:
• to discuss measurement results
• to understand residents' experiences
• to explore possible explanations
• to share knowledge between disciplines
It is precisely this form of collaboration that can help to better understand situations and prevent complex reports from being assessed from a single perspective.
The Hearing Triptych as a connecting framework
The Hearing Triptych model (Scheijen, 2026) can help to structure this collaboration.
The model describes sound perception as an interaction between three dimensions:
sound – brain – human experience
Within this framework, various disciplines can recognize their own contribution:
• acoustics investigates physical sound
• Audiology and neuroscience describe the processing of sound
• psychology helps understand processes of attention and meaning
• Public health organizations examine the impact on well-being and the living environment
By connecting these perspectives, a model emerges in which different disciplines complement each other.
For residents and patients
For residents experiencing nuisance, it is often important to feel that their experience is taken seriously.
When professionals from different disciplines collaborate, this can contribute to trust. It shows that not only numbers are considered, but also the experience of the person perceiving the sound.
This can help make conversations more constructive and look for possible solutions together.
From disciplines to dialogue
Ultimately, collaboration means more than combining expertise.
It calls for a dialogue in which different perspectives are shared and in which there is room for uncertainty and new insights.
Especially with complex issues such as low-frequency noise, this open attitude can contribute to a better understanding of situations that are not easy to explain.
The following essay therefore addresses an aspect that plays an important role in this dialogue: the way in which professionals communicate with residents and patients about complex sound experiences .
Literature
Leventhall, H.G. (2004). Low frequency noise and annoyance. Noise & Health.
Ostendorf, C. (2009). How to find the source of low frequency noise: three case studies. Journal of Low Frequency Noise, Vibration and Active Control.
Jastreboff, P. J. (1990). Phantom auditory perception (tinnitus): mechanisms of generation and perception. Neuroscience Research.
Cima, RFF, et al. (2012). Specialized treatment based on cognitive behavioral therapy versus usual care for tinnitus. The Lancet.
Vlaeyen, JWS, & Linton, SJ (2000). Fear-avoidance and its consequences in chronic pain. Pain.
Scheijen, D. (2026). The Hearing Triptych.
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