Psychological Effects Of Built Environment

Question 1

What does this section aim to investigate?

Answer 1

The effects of a built urban environment on our well being:
Recovery from surgery
Helping behaviour
Academic performance
Crime

Question 2

Key research

Answer 2

Ulrich - effect view from a window has on recovery from surgery

Question 3

Additional studies

Answer 3

Cohen - impact of noise on academic performance
Bickman - impact of population density on helping behaviour
Newman - how should we design territory?
Armitage - effect of through roads etc on crime

Question 4

Aim of Ulrich

Answer 4

Investigate how the patient’s view from a hospital window (either brick wall or trees) effects their recovery from gallbladder surgery

Question 5

Sample of Ulrich

Answer 5

46 patients recovering from gallbladder surgery

Question 6

Where was Ulrich’s study?

Answer 6

Pennsylvania hospital

Question 7

Sample method of Ulrich?

Answer 7

Opportunity sample by gaining reports of gallbladder surgery patients over a decade

Question 8

Experimental design of Ulrich’s study and why?

Answer 8

Matched participants design as the 23 pairs were matched on gender, within 5 years, obese/not obese etc
Only difference within matched pairs was the view from window

Question 9

Independent variable of Ulrich’s study

Answer 9

The view the patients had out the hospital window:
Either trees with foliage or a brick wall

Question 10

Why did we only sample patients recovering from the surgery in the summer months in Ulrich’s study?

Answer 10

Because only at this point did the trees have foliage

Question 11

Method of Ulrich

Answer 11

Obtain reports on the sampled patients from a nurse
Complete statistical analysis on the views each patient had

Question 12

What did the reports collected on patients in Ulrich’s study contain?

Answer 12

Length of hospitalisation, number and strength of painkillers, number and strength of anti anxiety medication, list of minor complications and any nurses notes

Question 13

Did the nurses who collected the reports know what view the patients had?

Answer 13

No; Increases validity by reducing the researcher bias as this prevents nurses selecting certain data that supports aim of Ulrich

Question 14

Environmental variables Ulrich controlled for?

Answer 14

The room was ‘nearly identical in terms of dimensions, window size,
arrangement of beds, furniture, and other major physical
characteristics’ so only IV of view differed

Question 15

Results of Ulrich: length of hospitalisation

Answer 15

Tree view patients spent significantly less time in hospital than the brick view patients
(7.96 days compared to 8.7 days)

Question 16

results of Ulrich: pain killers

Answer 16

Tree view patients took fewer moderate to strong analgesics than the brick view patients

Question 17

Results of Ulrich: nurse notes

Answer 17

Significantly more negative notes for brick wall patients compared to tree view patients

Question 18

Was there a sig difference between anti anxiety meds and complications in Ulrich’s study?

Answer 18

No

Question 19

Conclusion of Ulrich’s study

Answer 19

Suggests view of natural scenery compared to a monotonous brick wall can give therapeutic benefits to patients resulting in less time in hospital
Could make suggestion that built environments increase well being after surgery:more neg nurses comments

Question 20

Application of Ulrich?

Answer 20

Inform hospitals to have more natural scenery outside their windows to provide patients with therapeutic benefits

Question 21

Negative nurses comments example in Ulrich

Answer 21

‘Upset and crying’

Question 22

Cohen et al aim

Answer 22

To investigate the impact of noise from roads on reading ability of elementary school children in New York

Question 23

Sample of Cohen eg Al

Answer 23

54 children who lived in manhattan NY in different apartments on different floors (so experienced different noise levels)

Question 24

What was controlled for in Cohen’s study?

Answer 24

Children who went to the same elementary school in New York and were from the same 4 apartments

Question 25

Groups of children in Cohen et Al?

Answer 25

Lower floors experienced significantly more traffic noise
Higher floors experienced less traffic noise

Question 26

Method of Cohen et Al?

Answer 26

Correlated the reading of noise level for each child to their scores on a MAT
Then tested ‘auditory discrimination’ (ability to distinguish between words)

Question 27

Correlation results for Cohen et al

Answer 27

Significant positive correlation between ability to distinguish words (auditory discrimination) and floor level (+0.48) so higher floor (low noise level) and better at distinguishing words
Significant correlation between auditory discrimination and score on MAT

Question 28

Conclusion of Cohen et al

Answer 28

There is a negative relationship with noise level and score on MAT with auditory discrimination being the mediating factor

Question 29

Bickman et Al aim

Answer 29

Effect of population density on helping behaviour

Question 30

Method of Bickman

Answer 30

Drop off envelopes addressed to a certain room outside a dormitory at a university

Question 31

Conditions or Bickman

Answer 31

High density dorms
Mid density dorms
Low density dorms

Question 32

How did we measure helping behaviour in Bickmans study

Answer 32

% of letters posed to the correct address

Question 33

Results of Bickman

Answer 33

Low density = 88% delivered
High density = 58% delivered

Question 34

Conclusions of Bickman et al

Answer 34

More overcrowding causes lower helping behaviour in people

Question 35

What did Armitage aim to investigate

Answer 35

Investigate whether cul-de-sacs experience less crime than through roads
Or if the design of certain cul-de-sacs experience less crime

Question 36

Method of Armitage

Answer 36

Analyse crime data from 2007 to end of 2008 in Manchester, Kent, West Midlands

Question 37

Results of Armitage

Answer 37

Cul-de-sacs experience less crime
Cul-de-sacs with no foot paths have less crime

Question 38

Conclusions of Armitage

Answer 38

Footpaths should only be included if they are well lit, used, don’t run through the side or rear of houses and are wide
Because less connectivity will reduce crime

Question 39

What was Newman evaluating?

Answer 39

Problems caused by the Pruitt-Igoe public housing project in Louisiana

Question 40

What should territory be, according to Newman, to reduce crime?

Answer 40

Have clear markers to show areas are privately owned
Opportunities for surveillance eg have a central courtyard to overlook
Encourage personalisation
Use personal spaces to reduce escape routes for criminals