Beyond background noise: underutilized sonic choice architecture in hospitality

Hospitality and consumer environments are undoubtedly multisensory, yet auditory stimuli remain underutilized as intentional components of choice architecture. This mini-review synthesizes evidence from psychology, neuroscience, and behavioral economics examining how soundscapes—particularly micro-auditory cues such as door clicks and elevator tones—are undervalued in their functions as behavioral nudges that influence guest perception and decision-making within bounded rationality frameworks. Current evidence demonstrates that auditory stimuli activate affective priming, processing fluency, and associative memory mechanisms that systematically bias consumer judgments of value and satisfaction, yet research predominantly examines macro-level interventions while micro-auditory cues and biometric methods remain underexplored. Smart technologies now enable adaptive, personalized sonic ecosystems that could respond dynamically to guest and consumer states, presenting opportunities for experience-enhancing nudges and ethical risks regarding manipulation and consumer autonomy. This review identifies critical research gaps and proposes future directions emphasizing micro-level interventions, biometric methods, and ethical frameworks for auditory choice architecture in hospitality environments.