Evaluation of Autonomic Responses to the Urban Environment Through Traditional Methodologies and Autoencoding...

Area of Science:

• Environmental Psychology
• Psychophysiology
• Urban Planning

Background:

• Objective physiological measures, including Heart Rate Variability (HRV) and Electrodermal Activity (EDA), offer insights into human emotional states.
• The urban environment significantly influences individual emotional and physiological responses.
• Understanding these responses is crucial for designing healthier and more responsive urban spaces.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between objective autonomic activity measures and emotional responses to urban environments.
• To analyze physiological differences in autonomic responses at various points during an urban walk.
• To identify distinct patterns of autonomic activation among individuals in response to urban stimuli.

Main Methods:

• Collection and analysis of Heart Rate Variability (HRV) and Electrodermal Activity (EDA) during a structured urban walk protocol.
• Statistical analysis to identify significant differences in autonomic responses across predefined locations within the urban path.
• Application of an Autoencoder neural network to cluster subjects based on their autonomic activation patterns.

Main Results:

• Statistically significant variations in autonomic activity (HRV and EDA) were observed at different points along the urban route.
• Distinct clusters of subjects with similar autonomic response patterns were identified using the Autoencoder.
• The findings demonstrate a measurable psychophysiological impact of the urban environment on individuals.

Conclusions:

• Objective autonomic measures effectively capture emotional responses to urban settings.
• Urban walk protocols combined with advanced analysis reveal nuanced individual differences in environmental perception.
• This research provides a foundation for data-driven urban design focused on citizen well-being.