Psychological Effects of the Built Environment (5)

Question 1

What impact has urbanisation had on health?

Answer 1

• we have associated nature with health promotion from the earliest time of human society
• Steg et al. reviewed evidence as far back as 3000BC and found references across all time periods, including from Hippocrates, who suggested scenic environment is vital for health
• however, 54% of the world’s population now live in urban environments

Question 2

What are architectural determinism, possibilism and probabilism?

Answer 2

• determinism: suggests the built environment is the main cause of behaviour
• possibilism: accepts that the built environment places limits on behavioural choice but does not determine it
• probabilism: the built environment makes certain behaviours more likely

Question 3

How can noise have a negative psychological impact?

Answer 3

• Black and Black showed evidence that noise causes stress and this is significantly more likely in built environments
• Cohen et al. found that traffic noise levels outside children’s apartments negatively correlated with their scores on primary school literacy and numeracy tests
• Cheuk Fan Ng conducted a quasi experiment in Canada investigating the effect of noise from a construction site on 175 females living nearby
• found that those living nearest found it difficult to study and relax

Question 4

How can commuting have a negative psychological impact?

Answer 4

• the office for national statistics found that commuters had lower satisfaction, happiness, self-worth and higher anxiety than non-commuters

Question 5

How can overcrowding have a negative psychological impact?

Answer 5

• Fleming gave residents from overcrowded and uncrowded neighbourhoods challenging tasks to undertake
• found those in crowded neighbourhoods had higher stress levels and took longer to return to normal levels
• Bickman et al. found people living in conditions with lower population density (student dormitories) are more helpful than those in dense conditions

Question 6

What was the aim of Ulrich’s study?

Answer 6

• to compare the recovery of a group of patients who had undergone gall bladder surgery who had either a view of trees or a view of a brick wall

Question 7

What method did Ulrich use?

Answer 7

• quasi experiment
• used secondary data
• all patients in same hospital in Pennsylvania and their care was very similar
• same nurses allocated both types of room, rooms all the same size with furniture arranged the same way

Question 8

What sample did Ulrich use?

Answer 8

• participants had undergone a cholecystectomy (gall bladder surgery) between 1972-1981
• those younger than 20, older than 69 or who had serious post operative complications or a history of mental health issues excluded
• 46 patients
• matched by gender, age within 5yrs, smoking status, weight, medical history, year of surgery, floor level and room colour

Question 9

What were the results of Ulrich’s study?

Answer 9

• those with tree views recovered quicker (7.96 days compared to 8.7)
• tree group took fewer pain killers and milder types after surgery
• significantly more negative notes taken about the brick wall group, such as “needs much encouragement” and “upset and crying”

Question 10

How can health and well-being be improved through environmental design?

Answer 10

Colour:
- Acking and Kuller found lighter coloured rooms are perceived as more spacious
- Bennet et al. found prisoners in cells painted Baker-Miller pink are less violent than those in magnolia cells

Walkability:
- Frank et al. found that when a neighbourhood has features of walkability residents are 32% more active, have reduced BMI and experience less air pollution