week 13- design and environmental psychology Flashcards
what is environmental psychology?
studies the “relationship between humans and the external world”
what are the 4 basic principles of environmental psychology?
-its interdisciplinary
-they are skeptical of lab studies
-they are problem oriented
-they are value oriented
explain Lynch (1960) study on spatial cognition
they had people draw sketch maps of their cities, where they then analyzed the data and looked for patterns.
what 5 common features did Lynch find in his sketch map study
- paths
- edges
- districts
- landmarks
- nodes
describe and give an example of a path
-shared travel corrider
ex. street, walkway
describe and give an example of an edge
limiting or enclosing feature
ex. wall, railway, seashore
describe and give an example of a district
larger spaces that have some common character
ex. chinatown
describe and give an example of a landmark
distinctive features used for reference
ex. statues, cn tower
describe and give an example of a node
major point where behaviour is focused
ex. yonge and dundas
explain Appleyard’s (1970) study on spatial cognition in venezuela. what 2 main things did he find?
had people draw sketch
maps of cities in Venezuela and found two broad stylistic categories:
1. Sequential maps- more paths, egocentric frame of reference
2. Spatial maps- more districts, allocentric frame of reference
what 3 general considerations do we have to take into account when asking what contributes to people getting lost in buildings
-Visual access between key locations
– Differentiation
– Complexity of the spatial layout
how have some researchers tried to quantify spaces as it relates to wayfinding or intelligibility?
- Mathy- “correlation between the number of direct
visual connections from each room or corridor … and
the strategic importance of that room or corridor” - Wordy- extent to which “central locations have more
possible paths and connections”
in basic terms, what helps the intelligibility of certain spaces
when most paths lead to central locations
is intelligibility psychologically
meaningful? (wayfinding). use a study to explain
YES
researchers had participants explore a building, they found that high intelligibility was associated with less retracing of steps and more accurate pointing to landmarks
what is a defensible space?
“a residential environment
whose physical characteristics—building layout and site plan—function to allow inhabitants themselves to become key agents in ensuring their
security”
(ex. fences and shrubbery, designated walkways and parking areas, strategic placement of windows and doors to overlook public spaces)
what are the 3 components of a defensible space? explain each
- Natural surveillance- involves designing spaces that enable residents to observe and monitor their surroundings, and the activities of others, without needing to be physically present
- Territoriality- the perception of a space as a personal or community space, fostering a sense of ownership and responsibility among residents
- Positive image/mileu- focuses on the visual appearance and overall perception of a space. A positive image can deter crime by creating an impression of care, cleanliness, and security
explain Newman’s renovations to a building in the Bronx and its outcomes
He…
-Assigned formerly public areas to particular families
using barriers (territoriality)
-Reduced number of pedestrian routes and improve
lighting (surveillance)
-Resurfaced building and gave each residence a
different color (positive image)
Outcomes:
-Substantial reduction in violent crime
-People were twice as likely to ask a stranger why they are in the neighbourhood
how does living in a city with no green space affect one’s mental health?
badly, 55% greater risk of a
psychiatric disorder in
areas with lowest level
of greenspace
lots of experiments showing _________ effects of having access to nature in urban settings
restorative
what is the Attention Restoration Theory (ART)?
our ability to concentrate is restored after spending
time in nature
how can living in urban communities affect one’s attention? Why is this bad?
Urban environments
make demands on
attention and depletes attentional resources.
-attention is a limited resource that needs to be restored when in short supply
what does nature offer for one’s attention?
offers opportunities for attending (ex. noticing shape of clouds or sound of leaves), which gives an opportunity for attentional resources to be
restored
what is the biophilia hypothesis?
Innate “urge to affiliate with other forms of life
how would the biophilia hypothesis be helpful from an evolutionary perspective?
Would have benefited
early ancestors to be
attracted to/care for/feel
positive emotions for the
natural world because it is
what would have
sustained us
what 4 types of public spaces were discussed in this class?
- workplace
- retail
- casinos
- ux design
does music have an effect on shopping behaviour?
yes!
-Areni & Kim (1993) showed that people bought more
expensive wines when Classical music was playing
than Top-40
-North et al. (1997) played French (accordion) or
German (oompah) music in a supermarket
● French wine outsold German 5 to 1 when French music
playing
● German wine outsold French 2 to 1 when German playing
what types of colour are preferred in the design of the store by shoppers in retail environments? what implication does this finding have?
cool colours preferred by shoppers
-Color-induced relaxation means customer more likely to browse longer, thus, buy more stuff
according to Dow Schull, what three features explain why slot machines are so profitable and
addictive?
- Speed of play- Modern slot machines are designed for rapid play, often with a game cycle lasting only a few seconds. This quick pace encourages continuous betting, increasing the total amount wagered over time.
- Near misses- The machines are programmed to frequently display near misses—situations where the outcome is close to a win. These near wins can trigger a psychological response that encourages players to continue gambling, believing that a win is imminent
- The “zone” experience- Players often enter a trance-like state known as “the zone,” where they are fully absorbed in the game. This state of deep focus can lead to extended periods of play, as players are motivated to remain in the zone rather than to win money
