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Related Experiment Videos

Interior prospect and refuge.

Arthur E Stamps1

  • 1Institute of Environmental Quality, 290 Rutledge Street, San Francisco, CA 94110, USA. ieq@att.net

Perceptual and Motor Skills
|March 1, 2007
PubMed
Summary

Prospect and refuge theory, typically used for landscapes, was tested in interiors. Wider spaces significantly increased comfort, while other factors like light and height had minimal or unexpected effects on perceived comfort.

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Area of Science:

  • Environmental Psychology
  • Human-Environment Interaction
  • Architectural Psychology

Background:

  • Prospect and refuge theory traditionally explains species' habitat selection in landscapes.
  • Emerging research suggests its applicability to indoor environments and human comfort.
  • Understanding spatial preferences in interiors is crucial for designing comfortable and functional spaces.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the applicability of prospect and refuge theory to interior environments.
  • To test hypotheses regarding the impact of environmental transitions (e.g., dark-to-light, low-to-high) on perceived comfort.
  • To determine the specific influence of spatial width on comfort in indoor settings.

Main Methods:

  • Conducted two experiments involving 97 respondents across 14 distinct interior environments.
  • Assessed comfort levels in relation to specific environmental variables derived from prospect and refuge theory.
  • Tested five hypotheses concerning transitions in size, light, height, horizontal dimensions, and overall width.

Main Results:

  • A substantial positive correlation was found between the width of an environment and perceived comfort (r = .35).
  • Hypotheses related to transitions in darkness/light, height, and horizontal size yielded subtle or contrary-to-expectation results.
  • The impact of width on comfort was the most significant finding, suggesting its primary role in interior spatial preference.

Conclusions:

  • Spatial width is a key determinant of comfort in interior environments, aligning with prospect and refuge principles.
  • The application of prospect and refuge theory to interiors requires nuanced consideration, as not all traditional landscape-based hypotheses hold true.
  • Future research should focus on the specific mechanisms through which width influences human comfort in built environments.

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