Perception

Key aspects of perception

• Information processing model
• Perception is the process of interpreting sensory information
• Our perceived world is "constructed" or "reconstructed" - guided by previous experience
• Critical in use of buildings: determines what information the building user will obtain from the immediate environment

Perception is a critical part of emotional design

• Emotional impact is huge
• Visceral: hardwired perceptual response, e.g. shape recognition, color, etc.
• Behavioral: accessibility, emergency egress, security and safety
• Reflective: end user goals, designer recognition, social worlds

Some implications of breakdowns in perception

1. Accidents and near accidents

2. Reduced productivity/mistakes

3. Increased time

4. False accusation of blame - user not design

5. Learned helplessness

6. Avoidance

Process of perception

1. Reception of information from the environment

2. Interpretation and organization of that information

3. Evaluation of the information - significant/not significant

4. Decision making on the need to take action

5. Directed action on the social and physical environment

6. Feedback on the result of that action.

( Note: Process involved both unconscious and conscious thought. )

Important factors affecting perception

1. Sensory reception abilities

• attention thresholds
• acuity
• stress levels
• distraction
• expectancies - cultural, personal, social role

2. Ability to perceive relationships

• figure-ground
• grouping proximity
• similarity
• continuity
• orientation

3. Depth perception

• depth cues: linear perspective, interposition, texcture gradient, binocular disparity, size and shape constancy
• experience and interpretation - the case of illusions

4. Perception in motion

• critical for experiencing buildings and the city
• not well understood
• current research focuses on tracking the eye
• affective field of view (AFOV)

3. Signal detection

• cue recognition
• ignal to noise ratio
• mistakes due to lack of awareness
• mistakes due to confusion
• impact of context

4. Individual and cultural differences

• form and content
• personal experience
• ecological context
• social factor

Design Goals

1. Improving awareness

• reduce unwanted noise
• control distractions
• use signals that are strong enough to perceive in context
• support the search for information, e.g. use grouping principles to associate /dissacociate objects

2. Insuring clarity

• emphasize the objects of importance - figure / ground
• use grouping principles to organize information
• use principles of object and pattern recognition to make unusual conditions more obvious
• reduce errors, e.g. avoid unwanted illusions

Trade-Offs

1. Hierarchical goals

• safety and security
• instrumentality
• social integration
• personal development
• stimulation

2. Perception and Aesthetics

• clarity - ambiguity
• support - challenge
• simplicity - complexity
• exposure - disguise
• action - exploration
• reality - illusion

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