Environmental psychology: principles and applications

Environmental Psychology

This is an interdisciplinary field which focuses on the relationship between humans and their surroundings. It defines the term environment broadly, including natural environments, social settings, built environments, learning environments, and informational environments. When solving problems in pertaining human-environment interactions, which might be global or local, you must have a model of human nature that predicts the environmental conditions under which humans will behave in a decent and creative manner. Such a model enables one to design, manage, protect and/or restore environments that foster reasonable behavior, predict ion likely outcomes which comes about when these conditions are not met, and identifies problem situations. This field develops a model of human nature by retaining a wider and inherently multidisciplinary view. It explores two different issues such as common property resource management, view finding in complex settings, the effect of environmental stress on human performance, the characteristics of restorative environments, human information processing, and the promotion of durable conservation behavior. Though it is said to be the best-known and most comprehensive description of the field, it is also known as human factors science, cognitive ergonomics, environmental social sciences, architectural psychology, socio-architecture, ecological psychology, ecopsychology, behavioral geography, environment-behavior studies, person-environment studies, environmental sociology, social ecology, and environmental design research.

The field of environmental psychology recognizes the need to be problem-oriented, using, as required, the theories and methods of related disciplines such as psychology, sociology, anthropology, biology, and ecology).

Commercial design

This is the focus of practice that defines commercial space as any environment that impacts the success of a business. The definition of commercial design is quite diverse. This is because it includes the design of professional offices, industrial spaces, healthcare facilities, fitness centers and retail stores among others. Though the requirements for these spaces vary greatly, the unity point is the need to make people very productive and comfortable in that area. This goes from the staff working there daily to customers who visit the premise, those who work out, or just visit occasionally. Thus the commercial spaces should support their needs and not hinder them from achieving their goals there.

Residential design

This on the other hand is the focus the residential space which focuses on the lighting of the space, ambience, heating systems, among others. This also like commercial design tries to explain those indicators that would enable a person's comfort in the area. The person may look at an areas interior design that would enhance his comfort in that kind of environment

The similarities that exist between residential and commercial design is the fact that both are concerned with the aim of providing the best protection of the item to be housed while at the same time taking consideration as to what effects the chosen arrangements would have on the mind of the inhabitants or the residents. The other similarity between the two designs is that they both require very careful planning and execution of the actual designs so as to achieve the desired effects and objectives. The other similarity between the two designs is that proper and appropriate lighting must be used so as to reduce the level of accidents while at the same time setting the right mood.

The first major differences that exist between residential and commercial design is the purpose of the design itself. Residential design is targeted towards the attainment of good houses and apartments that accommodate persons and households while commercial design is targeted towards the achievement of well protected and stable structures to be used for the purpose of doing business or an enterprise. The other difference is that residential design usually involves the design of small sized structures while commercial design involves the design of both small sized structure and even superstructures such as warehouses.

An evaluation of warehouses which form part of commercial design reveal that commercially designed buildings are have big and sparse empty spaces and high walls. The building must also be fitted with appropriate ventilation devised. Precautionary elements such as the existence of fire escapes and evacuation assembly points are also included in such designs.

An evaluation of residential design reveals a very good management of the available space and a careful manipulation of color and light in order to achieve the right mood. The building built with comfort in mind and therefore properly sized furniture and finish is applied so as to achieve the desired effect