Applied Psychology for interiors

Summarised from
Augustin, Sally. Place Advantage. Applied Psychology for Interior Architecture. New Jersery: John Wiley & Sons. 2009

Quite a useful book though definitely written for the more general reader (rather than professional) which made it easy to read but felt sometimes it was lacking depth. Saying that, here are some useful things...

People's personalities have an effect on how they perceive a space - for example, more extrovert people will appreciate spaces with more complicated sensory detail while less introverted people tend to find these spaces sometimes too overwhelming/not relaxing.

A well designed space (ie. one which encourages the main objectives of that space)  has the following attributes:

1. It complies with the activity intended in that space - eg. has all the right equipment/tools present, and is the 'usability' component of a space. Ideally the space will also encourage the mood you want to be in to carry out these tasks.
2. Communication - it communicates information about the people who use it and also provides opportunities to socialise (or not, as appropriate). For example a hospital room may have different areas/spaces which allow rest/solitude (bed, the bathroom), work/healing (a work station) and socialising (balcony, couch area). Nonverbal clues are fairly powerful - nonverbal communication carries more weight than verbal when the two are saying conflicting things. Patients can feel more comfortable if they are allowed to customise their room to reflect who they are (or the version they want to portray). Socialising with others is important for our mental health, but so is privacy (audio and visual) - the physical environment should allow this.
3. It's comforting - meets psychological needs for perceived control over the environment (including whether to be alone or not) allowing concentration, or relaxation, or recharging as appropriate. However, the desirable level of control will change depending on the person - a person who feels they are not as capable of making good choices for control (eg. by age or mental capacity) may not want to exercise as much control.
4. It can change or evolve over time depending on how people need to use it

(Author also mentioned 'Challenging' but the definition of this sounded close to 1. (comply) so have left this out)

Restorative spaces

Characteristics of restorative spaces: (1) somewhere/something you can glance at to take you out of a mentally demanding situation (reading a novel/watching a movie does the same thing), (2) they need to hold your attention, be fascinating - pleasurable and effortless to think about, (3) they must allow us to easily do whatever we are trying to do, (4) they're always places we feel safe. This could be a quiet space with a comfortable chair and a fish tank/view out into a garden/etc. We tend to like seeing places with some sign of human tending eg. a mowed lawn, a well kept garden.

Scents

Smell was talked about quite a bit - see previous blog on this - nothing new really learnt here (just reinforced the importance of smell to alter mood/memory etc). However, points to note relating to health:

• people smelling lemon are more likely to report they are in better health
• smelling peppermint improves physical tasks plus makes tasks seem less rushed, less of a hassle
• lemon & cinnamon/vanilla are strongly associated with improved moods
• smelling lavendar or cedar reduces tension
• floral scents in general reduce anxiety, also orange, lime, marjoram, rose, lavendar, bergamot, cypress
• relaxing scents include lavendar, rose, almond, cedar/pine, sandalwood, vanilla, spiced apple
• smelling jasmine while already sleeping improves the quality of sleep

Sounds

This covered soundscapes and again, no significant new information compared with the acoustics projects I covered last year. However, points to note relating to health:

• predictable rhythms and simple harmonies are relaxing (unpredictable/complex are invigorating)
• annoying noises are more bearable if they're predictable

Colour & pattern

We find it soothing to look at patterns that are mathematically similar to ones which occur in nature (natural fractals): fields of grass, moving clouds, water, fish tank ripples, dappled light. Around the world, blue is generally the most preferred hue but after that, there are different cultural preferences.

Complexity & order

Things that are more complex are more interesting to us, but too much complexity creates tension. Curvilenear forms and smooth transitions (as seen in nature) enhance visual quality of a space, as to plants and water (even if they make it more complex). Order is desirable in complex spaces (eg. a library).
Rhythm leads people though a space visually and adds to its order (beams, textures etc)

Light

Low light intensity makes a space feel relaxing and more private and intimate, generally higher light levels are psychologically and physically stimulating.
More brightly lit spaces make us feel more cheerful, particularly if it's sunlight and indirect lighting.

Under warm white light, we: take more risks; perform better using short term memory, and problem solving skills; are more likely to resolve disputes by collaborating; are more likely to be in a better mood (if female)

Under cool white light, we: don't recall new material in our long term memory as well; experience more stress generally but; are more likely to be in a better mood (if male)

Healthcare facilities - specific notes

(pp232-)

Research (232) has shown that patients who stay in rooms with artwork on the walls, chairs for visitors and generally 'less institutional' have more positive impressions about their stay. Waiting areas which are also less institutional (have lamps, plants, artwork, comfortable domestic seating) ease users into a more positive mood. However, if they are too different from other waiting rooms they have experienced, patients become concerned - generally people are more comfortable with places and things similar to stereotypes they have developed for them.

Patients, caregivers and the designers all experience the space in different ways. Patients spend more time looking at things the caregivers and designers to not (eg. ceilings, machines, one particular wall etc).

Research notes:

• patients in rooms with more daylight need less pain medication after surgery; sunlight also helps to synchronise patient circadian rhthyms which improves sleep quality
• likewise, patients recover more quickly from surgery and require less pain medication if they can look out onto nature
• if no view is possible, pictures or virtual screens of nature experiences also help
• mirrors on the ceiling which reflect the view from a window could be a good idea where patients cannot sit up, ditto for artwork
• caregivers and visitors also benefit from views of nature
• artwork will produce differing results depending on type - abstract or ambiguous paintings or sculptures are not good choices for healthcare settings - but images that are reassuring and comforting are ideal (meadows, gardens, quiet water scenes, dappled forests etc).
• people with depression or senile dementia show improvements in their condition when exposed to morning light (related to our circadian rhythms, exposure to light in general).
• moderately intense pink (the colour of Pepto Bismol) has been shown to quickly calm people

• people tend to speak more quietly in lower light so keep lights lowish where possible to reduce general noise
• using red lights to guide patients to their bathrooms at night (or using other night light options) won't disrupt their circadian rhythms as other light would.
• patients who hear music they enjoy appear to experience less pain
• caregivers and patients both need private retreats
• when patients socialise with family and friends, their health benefits - rooms should have movable chairs, spaces they can easily socialise in either in their room or outside somewhere
• patients (and caregivers) prefer rooms/spaces they can personalise in some way