Aesthetic and Affective Response to Natural Environment
Abstract
Argues that evolutionary heritage underlies humans' consistent preference for stimuli from the natural environment and that research on affective and aesthetic responses is needed to understand human interaction with the environment. It is noted that the rapidly expanding empirical record concerning aesthetic and affective responses to natural environments is in need of a well-developed theoretical foundation. An integrated conceptual framework to address this theoretical lack, drawing on recent theory and research on emotion, is proposed. This framework explains how affects arise in the natural environment; postulates their functions; and links them to cognition, activity in physiological systems, and behavior. The present author, in developing the framework, questions the view that feelings result from cognitive processes, asserting that feelings (not thoughts) are the initial response in environmental encounters. The observer's initial feeling reaction shapes subsequent cognitive events. The relative sequence of feeling and thinking in environmental encounters represents a fundamental issue in understanding human interaction with the environment. (98 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
... 58). In the environmental psychology literature, this process is explained by two major theories, namely the Attention Restoration Theory (ART) [40] and the Stress Reduction Theory (SRT) [41,42]. Both theories propose that specifically designed environments can trigger cognitive and affective processes, allowing psychological, physiological and social resources to be restored [42,43]. ...
... The general theory framework proposes three environmental features that permit restoration [15,40,41] (Table 1). These features allow an environment to be free of demands that cause the need for restoration. ...
... In addition to features that can permit restoration, the general restorative theory framework also proposes seven features that promote the restoration process [15,40,41] ( Table 1). These features can draw a person's thoughts away from demand and attract and hold their attention, prolonging the restorative process [15,42,43]. ...
Exposure to stress and attention fatigue resulting from changes in capabilities and residing in environments that do not align with individual needs can adversely impact older adults’ mental health and complicate ageing-in-place. Research into the psychological restoration process can help assist in alleviating these issues. Existing research on restoration perspectives has predominantly centred on university students and lacks comprehensive insights into older adults. Consequently, this study seeks to acquire a deeper understanding of the restorative theory framework within the context of ageing populations. We identified and analysed thirty-nine papers on the restoration process of older adults employing the scoping review method. Our findings indicate that adjustments to the general restorative theory framework are imperative for ageing populations. By incorporating additional features—such as being with and familiarity—the framework can more effectively support the development of age-inclusive neighbourhoods that enhance the mental health of the older population and facilitate healthy ageing-in-place. While more in-depth research is required on the restoration process of older adults, this research marks the initial in adapting the general framework to ageing populations. Furthermore, insight is given into how the adapted framework can contribute to help address the challenges of global ageing and support ageing-in-place.
... Two primary theories in environmental psychology, which pertain to affective and cognitive psychological approaches, lead the studies on restorative environments. The first, refers to stress recovery theory (Ulrich, 1983), which explains restoration by concentrating on the elements evoking positive emotions that relieve negative aspects of stress, such as lack of concentration and motivation. The second, attention restoration theory (S. ...
... Stress recovery theory mainly considers the visual-stimulus features of environments that result in high preference and psycho-physiological changes by enhancing well-being (Ulrich, 1983). Restoration starts when the environment's visual qualities promote positive feelings influencing an affective response (Hartig, 2004). ...
... After completing the interviews, we followed a thematic analysis (Boyatzis, 1998;Braun & Clarke, 2006) to reveal the dimensions of perceived restorativeness in home environments and analysed the transcripts based on the architectural dimensions proposed by Evans and McCoy (1998), attention restoration theory (S. Kaplan & Kaplan, 1989), and stress recovery theory (Ulrich, 1983). Those theoretical approaches were used to identify our themes and subthemes. ...
Although research on restorative environments suggest that natural settings have therapeutic effects in moderating stress and promoting positive experiences, there is a limited body of literature inquiring about the therapeutic potential of interior environments. The aim of the current study was to understand the restorative potential of home environments regarding theoretical background on restorative environments and architectural dimensions influencing well-being through the experiences of women. We interviewed 11 adult women using the photo-elicitation technique to investigate the perceived restorativeness of their home environments. Thematic analysis of qualitative data indicated that the design attributes of spaces play a significant role in promoting the restoration process. In addition to design attributes, we found family interaction, socialising, and engaging in activities could also be influential. Furthermore, the exploratory nature of the research highlighted the significance of individual meanings and personal factors in shaping the perceived restorativeness of home environments. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed to encourage future research in related fields that explore the relationship between residential settings and well-being.
... Books were likely rated highly due to the positive relationship between literacy with intelligence and reading with academic performance [79,80] which reflects the decisive preference for a wall with books or bookshelves in videoconferencing [34]. Faces on the plants background also scored highly on competence and trustworthiness perceptions which complements the established human preference for natural environments and the positive evaluations induced by house plants [81,82]. The findings suggest objects do influence trait evaluation, but it is the qualities of the objects themselves and what they indicate about individuals' character, and not their functionality or symbolism, that affects judgements. ...
Trait inferences from first impressions are drawn rapidly and spontaneously. However, the Covid-19 pandemic forced interactions online introducing differential influential factors on first impressions. As such, there is an absence of research investigating video background on videoconferencing impression formation. This study explored the influence of video background , facial expression, and gender on first impressions of trustworthiness and competence. Video background affected trustworthy and competence perceptions with Plants and Book backgrounds scoring highly on both dimensions while the Home and Novelty backgrounds consistently received the lowest ratings. Happy faces were perceived as more trustworthy and more competent while female faces were also rated as more trustworthy and more competent, regardless of the background they were using. The explanations for these findings are discussed, along with future directions for research and the implications for videoconferencing use.
... The aesthetic character of a place is not solely determined by psychological factors or the inherent beauty of the place itself. It emerges from culturallydefined uses, including language and practices, as well as affective appreciation of the place (Ulrich 1983). The relationship between communities and natural elements is not solely based on "objective" and measurable qualities; it is influenced by various parameters, such as individual perceptions, representations, experiences, cultural belonging, values, expectations, and sensitivities. ...
This interdisciplinary study addresses the gap in understanding the perceptions of individuals regarding the role of urban green infrastructures (UGIs) in climate change adaptation, particularly with respect to biodiversity and planting composition. While climate-responsive design strategies commonly focus on increasing permeable green spaces and canopy coverage, the explicit consideration of biodiversity remains limited. By introducing a novel analytical framework, we investigate how residents in Lausanne, Switzerland, assess the impact of biodiversity and planting composition on the potential of UGIs to adapt cities to climate change. Through a questionnaire-based survey (N = 527) and the use of photomontages and statistics, we examine the perceived potential of biodiverse versus uniform planting compositions to address climate change adaptation in Lausanne. Our findings demonstrate that respondents perceive biodiverse planting compositions as more successful strategies, attributing greater importance to trees in adaptation efforts, while overlooking the contributions of biodiverse herbaceous and shrub strata and soil permeability. Additionally, site characteristics associated with specific urban conditions significantly influence these perceptions. This evidence is subsequently discussed in two ways. Firstly, our analytical framework contributes to assessing the potential of UGIs in climate change adaptation, shedding light on the significance of planting composition. Secondly, the research emphasizes the need to transition from conventional climate-responsive approaches to more nuanced and sensitive methodologies that consider the multifaceted aspects of biodiversity. Such an approach holds promise for advancing the understanding of UGIs in climate change adaptation and informs future research directions.
... Designet blev udviklet og besluttet igennem tvaerfaglige workshops, møder og diskussioner, hvor viden, erfaring og kompetencer blev udvekslet. Selvom projektets samarbejdsparter -terapihaveteamet (se s.[18][19][20] og forskergruppen Natur, Sundhed & Design -havde gode erfaringer inden for feltet, var det en udfordring, når der skulle fremlaegges, sparres og diskuteres både intert og med eksterne parter om projektet undervejs og saerligt når fokus skulle vaere på naturmiljøets betydninger og inkludering i projektet.Når der skal udvikles naturmiljøer som ramme for forskellige sundhedsindsatser til forskellige borgergrupper, er det essentielt at vide hvilke sundhedsindsatser, der arbejdes med og altså hvilke sundhedsmål og ikke mindst hvilke forskellige rehabiliterende aktiviteter, som naturmiljøet skal vaere ramme for og hvordan. Dels skal naturmiljøet udgøre de fysiske, praktiske og funktionelle rammer; det skal kunne benyttes som fysisk "redskab" til aktiv integration i indsatsen; det skal yde oplevelser til symbolsk integration; og det skal fungere som en synergi af ovenstående.Der findes kun få modeller (arbejdsvaerktøjer) til analyse, forståelser af og dialog om naturmiljøer i relation til sundhedsindsatser og specifikke borgergruppers miljøoplevelser. ...
Horowpathana has been identified as a hotspot of human-elephant conflict in Sri Lanka's north-central province, where quick intervention is required. But Sri Lanka never had a consolidated action plan to address the problem. This study deals with the question of how landscape architects can contribute to mitigating the problem in the area. It aims to create a design proposal that facilitates elephant requirements and offers functions and recreation for the residents at the same time. The design is based on the method of animal-centred design. The study demonstrates that such conflicts can be resolved through precise landscape design that considers the issue on the specific site. Effective implementation requires strong governance structures and policy support from stakeholders like governmental institutions, conservation organizations, and academics. Collaboration between infrastructure developers and conservationists can reduce the harmful effects of development projects on wildlife by employing proper design methodologies and undertaking further research to assure establishment efficacy.
Nature-based solutions including urban forests and wetlands can help communities cope better with climate change and other environmental stressors by enhancing social-ecological resilience. Natural ecosystems, settings, elements and affordances can also help individuals become more resilient to various stressors, although the mechanisms underpinning individual-level nature-based resilience, and their relations to social-ecological resilience, are not well articulated. We propose ‘nature-based biopsychosocial resilience theory’ (NBRT) to address these gaps. Our framework begins by suggesting that individual-level resilience can refer to both: a) a person’s set of adaptive resources; and b) the processes by which these resources are deployed. Drawing on existing nature-health perspectives, we argue that nature contact can support individuals build and maintain biological, psychological, and social (i.e. biopsychosocial) resilience-related resources. Together with nature-based social-ecological resilience, these biopsychosocial resilience resources can: i) reduce the risk of various stressors (preventive resilience); ii) enhance adaptive reactions to stressful circumstances (response resilience), and/or iii) facilitate more rapid and/or complete recovery from stress (recovery resilience). Reference to these three resilience processes supports integration across more familiar pathways involving harm reduction, capacity building, and restoration. Evidence in support of the theory, potential interventions to promote nature-based biopsychosocial resilience, and issues that require further consideration are discussed.
Following upon the first two volumes in this series, which dealt with a broad spectrum of topics in the environment and behavior field, ranging from theoretical to applied, and including disciplinary, interdisciplinary, and professionally oriented approaches, we have chosen to devote sub sequent volumes to more specifically defined topics. Thus, Volume Three dealt with Children and the Environment, seen from the combined perspective of researchers in environmental and developmental psy chology. The present volume has a similarly topical coverage, dealing with the complex set of relationships between culture and the physical environment. It is broad and necessarily eclectic with respect to content, theory, methodology, and epistemological stance, and the contributors to it represent a wide variety of fields and disciplines, including psy chology, geography, anthropology, economics, and environmental de sign. We were fortunate to enlist the collaboration of Amos Rapoport in the organization and editing of this volume, as he brings to this task a particularly pertinent perspective that combines anthropology and ar chitecture. Volume Five of the series, presently in preparation, will cover the subject of behavioral science aspects of transportation. Irwin Altman Joachim F. Wohlwill ix Contents Introduction 1 CHAPTER 1 CROSS-CULTURAL ASPECTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN AMOS RAPOPORT Introduction 7 Culture. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Environmental Design 10 The Relationship of Culture and Environmental Design . . . . . . . . . 15 The Variability of Culture-Environment Relations 19 Culture-Specific Environments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Designing for Culture. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Implications for the Future . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 CHAPTER 2 CROSS-CULTURAL RESEARCH METHODS: STRATEGIES, PROBLEMS, ApPLICATIONS RICHARD W.
Widespread concern has been expressed over the inadequacy of purely objective, physical measures of environmental quality. To enhance the habitability of our planet we need to consider cultural as well as physical and biological components of the complex environment that influence the lives of individuals and communities (Thomas, 1972). In man’s relation to the biosphere, we must deal with a “real” world that does not have the same objective reality for all observers; we must deal with a subjectively perceived environment (UNESCO, 1973). An individual’s view of the world, influenced as it is by his own perception and learning, differs from the view held by scientific experts, yet the concept of the world-as-perceived has considerable value in humanizing the quantitative, objective approach to managing our environment (Lowenthal, 1961). Those responsible for formulating policies, and any expert group, should become aware of their own perceptual and conceptual bias by comparing it with the views of those whose lives are affected by the policies (UNESCO, 1973). Moreover, observer-based evaluations of environmental quality should be considered at the outset along with physical measures so that we do not develop imperfect standards that abstract only the physical, purely objective components of environmental quality (Craik & McKechnie, 1974).
This paper discusses a series of presuppositions that have traditionally directed research in environment and experience. It describes, alternatively, a methodology based on different assumptions that will enable the researcher to avoid the biases and conclusions these presuppositions necessitate, and relates a series of studies that display the salient elements of environmental experience. The results of these studies have suggested a number of characteristics of environmental experience and specific modes of experiencing the environment. The fundamental tenet is that environmental experience is that continuing product of an active endeavor by an individual to create for himself a situation within which he can optimally function and achieve his own particular pattern of satisfaction. Finally, it is concluded that no single mode or combination of modes of environmental experience represent a “true” view of the environment, and that as scientists we should emulate the individual and develop a view of the environment that will optimally enable us to carry out our goals both as students and as concerned human beings.
A landscape preference study, originally conducted in the United States, was replicated in Scotland. Ranked preference values for black and white photographs of natural landscapes were very similar for the two studies. Therefore the landscape preference equation, developed from data in the initial study, would have predicted quite accurately the landscape preferences of people in Scotland. Study results strengthen the predictability and versatility of the initial equation.