Preference: Not as Simple as Choice

Imagine that you are in a room with no walls. As far as you can see in either direction there is plain, white, nothingness. You turn around and it's the same behind you as it is in front. The ceiling looks as if there is no limit. It is completely open. Complete, open, nothingness. How does this make you feel? In such a large room, with limitless space is it possible to feel trapped? Lost? Frightened? What do you think? Is there any way to try to understand the environment around you?

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/321022279665972760/

Now imagine you are standing on the top of a hill. In front of you there is a river slowly making its way through the landscape. Little patches of trees are sprinkled here and there and the topography of the view is congruent: rolling hills covered with lush grass. You are able to make out land masses all around you until they reach a point where you can no longer. From north to east to south to west, it is vibrant and beautiful. How does this image make you feel? How is this different from the white room filled with nothingness? 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2151501/The-breathtaking-landscape-pictures-stunning-look-like-paintings-Amateur-photographer-captures-rainbow-rolling-hills.html

Our reactions to these two environments are linked to the concept of environmental preference. Now this preference is not the same as whether or not you like city or country, or whether you are a summer or winter kind of person. The kind of preference at play when it comes to our affinity for certain environments is not specific to any one individual. It is overarching, evolutionarily developed, and the same for all human beings. Preferred environments contain certain characteristics that we can grasp onto and feel comforted by, whether or not the environment is familiar or not. 

Some major determinants of whether or not an environment is preferred depends on our understanding of the environment (its coherence and legibility) and our ability to explore it (complexity and mystery). Coherence describes whether or not the environment is accessible. Can you latch on to redundant features? Is it organized and structured? Will you be able to way find in this space? Legibility takes on a more futuristic approach. Could you leave the spot you are in and make it back? Are there specific landmarks for this case? Is what you are seeing essentially what you are going to get? These two elements combined shape our present and future understanding of the environment. On the exploration side of things, complexity describes whether or not the environment is interesting for us. Is there enough complexity for us to want to explore it and keep us occupied? Is the scene more diverse than uniform? Mystery is the futuristic approach. Here, we are wondering if there is a way to gain more information and continue to explore the environment in the future. This interface between the elements of understanding and exploration is what drives the human perception of preferred environments. 

Lets look at the two scenarios I have already painted for us: the white room and the rolling landscape. In the white room, there are no salient objects in which we can use in order to make sense of what is going on around us. There is no way that the room has any sense of coherence or legibility, for it is lacking any way finding landmarks. In terms of exploration, the lack of complexity and mystery makes this an environment that would be impossible to explore. Since the room has very low understanding and exploratory appeal, we are evolutionarily designed to feel uncomfortable here. It is the same as if you were thrown into a deep thicket of forest near dusk. The environment is difficult to understand because of its lack of redundancy and structure. Therefore, it is almost impossible to way find. In terms of exploration, while this environment may be complex, it does not give us the benefits that would be associated with exploration, and future exploration. We cannot see a clear path or a specific area to begin our exploration. Immediately, an innate process flag this environment as one to avoid.

http://savehemlocksnc.org/category/research/

The landscape is almost completely opposite, with high levels of both understanding and exploration. Its spacious structure and complexity allow us feel in touch with the environment, and gives us the incentive to explore it. We are able to point out specific landmarks important for way finding, while also see new areas to explore off into the distance. 

These preferred environments have large implications for design and energy restoration. Since this is an innate characteristic, we want to be in environments that are preferred so we can use less directed attention trying to make sense of what is going on around us. When city planners and architects are drawing up plans on how to design buildings in order to increase productivity, these elements of preferred environments should be taken into consideration. This would make the transition to unfamiliar environments much more smoother. As we navigate through the obstacles that life presents us, I know that remembering what these preferred environments are and how they can relate to universal comfort and security will be beneficial.