Applied neuroscience in the research of place

Ahmadpoor, Negar

Abstract

There is a continuous dialogue between the physical environment and the brain's functions. The human constructs the physical environment and subsequently makes physical interventions to it, and this physical environment with its all different attributes affects the way that the human's brain functions. The brain starts receiving the environmental information, through the five senses, upon its first exposure to a physical environment. Accordingly, the way that the brain responds to the received environmental information determines people's environmental emotions, perceptions, and behaviour (see Figure 1). These perceptions and behaviour have long been explored in environmental behaviour and psychology studies. Similarly, neuroscientists have studied the brain's functions and structures in relation to the physical environment. However, spatial designers have paid little attention to the findings of these studies, especially, neuroscientific studies. The spatial design disciplines, namely, architecture, urban design, urban planning, and landscape design, are known as user-centred disciplines. As such, it is important for them to understand how physical environments affect people's brain's functions, cognitions, and environmental behaviour. Gaining such knowledge thereby enables spatial designers to design environments which are more responsive to people's cognitive needs and that can support the brain's functions.

Citation

Ahmadpoor, N. (2018). Applied neuroscience in the research of place. Urban Transcripts, 1(4),

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Nov 2, 2017
• Online Publication Date: Jan 5, 2018
• Publication Date: Jan 5, 2018
• Deposit Date: Nov 14, 2018
• Publicly Available Date: Nov 14, 2018
• Journal: Urban Transcripts Journal
• Print ISSN: 2514-5339
• Electronic ISSN: 2514-5339
• Publisher: Urban Transcripts
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 1
• Issue: 4
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1248103
• Publisher URL: http://journal.urbantranscripts.org/article/applied-neuroscience-research-place-negar-ahmadpoor/