psychological effects on the built environment

Question 1

what do 54% of the world population live in?

Answer 1

urban environments

Question 2

what is growing?

Answer 2

mega cities- populations of 10 million

Question 3

what is architectural determinism?

Answer 3

environment is the main determinant of behaviour

Question 4

what is architectural possibilism?

Answer 4

environment may have an effect, but individual choice still plays a large role

Question 5

what is architectural probabilism?

Answer 5

interaction between the two

Question 6

why are stressors in the built environment more likely to affect those from lower socio-econonic backgrounds?

Answer 6

the wealthy are likely to pay to avoid them

Question 7

noise

Answer 7

cohen looked at 54 children from the bridge apartments in new york. lower floors had poorer breathing, academic ability and well being.

Question 8

overcrowing

Answer 8

how helpful people are can depend on density of the situation. bickman found highest proportion of help was in the low density condition.
affects friendliness, belonging and wellbeing

Question 9

commuting

Answer 9

stressful. ONS found commuters had lower life satisfaction, felt less worthwile, lower happiness and higher anxiety.
worst effect was between 61-90 minutes

Question 10

urban renewal

Answer 10

defensible space reduces crime, however green spaces are found to enhance wellbeing.
white found living in green spaces reduces mental stress and increases life satisfaction

Question 11

privacy

Answer 11

challenging to balance need for privacy with need for social interaction.
links to arousal levels- use social markers (turning away) and physical markers (hedges, doors)
modern apartments make this difficult- open plan and close proximity

Question 12

nature and health

Answer 12

difficult to study- lots of uncontrolled variables
don’t include control groups- causation?
natural environments can reduce stress levels, shows positive effect of nature

Question 13

why do people have positive responses to views when certain features are present? (texture, depth, vegetation)

Answer 13

rooted in human evolution and a biological preparedness to prefer such environments.
or cognitive theory through having no capacity to feel stressed?

Question 14

what did ulrich (1984) study?

Answer 14

46 patients who had gallbladder surgery, matched into pairs. 23 had a view of trees and the other a brick wall

Question 15

what did ulrich (1984) measure?

Answer 15

length of stay, number and strength of painkillers, anxiety medication, minor complications, and nurses notes.

Question 16

what did ulrich (1984) find?

Answer 16

• tree view patients spent 7.96 days in hospital vs 8.7 days

- more negative comments made about brick view patients, took more painkillers and anxiety medication post-surgery

Question 17

what did ulrich (1984) conclude?

Answer 17

natural scene had some therapeutic influence.

however the ‘built’ view was very monotonous- a lively city may have had a different effect

Question 18

improving health and well-being with environmental design

Answer 18

office workers with views of nature are happiest at work, kaplan (1993), as it lifts people’s mood and enhances concentration.
colour- baker miller pink has an effect on aggression levels.
blood pressure lower in white rooms
light colours- calming, open, spacious

Question 19

ethnocentrism

Answer 19

• greenery is specific to western culture
• findings about environment may not be true for all cultures. kent (1991) found euramericans were more likely to segment living space, but navajo people were least likely- used living room to sleep and eat in.

Question 20

urban designs need to consider

Answer 20

• privacy
• noise and temperature (stress)
• colour
• layout and room function
• windows (lights- SAD- and circadian rhythms)