Stress of living in designed environments and interior spaces

¶ … Stress of Living in an Environment

Skinner held that all human behavior is caused by the environment. This concept is referred to as environmental determinism. Architects (Richard Neutra) also believe that their designs control behavior. Then there is the transactional view (Barker) that behavior and environment interact with one another (ecological psychology). Some key points to remember involve E&B theories (environment and the person are inseparable), the person in the environment theories (individual responses are consistent across any environment), the social psychological theories (focus on the social context of the organism), and the environment on the person theories (emphasis on what the environment does to any person). In addition, GAIA, sociobiology, biophilia, overload, understimulation, organismic-holistic, sociopetal and sociofugal, theories originating within the person, stress, belief systems, control, and ecological psychology are important.

GAIA: James Lovelock 1979. Bacteria, plants, and animals act together to keep the gas levels stable. Mainly concerned with the ozone level. Problem is that the earth is not a living organism as he suggests.

Sociobiology: (Wilson, 1975). Genes alone determine behavior. Problem is that it cannot explain altruism.

Biophilia: (Wilson, 1984). Innate tendency to preserve the environment. Explains altruism for him.

Overload:( Milgram, 1970). Many behaviors are due to sensory overload (urban environments).

Understimulation: An environment where there is not enough stimuli (like cabin fever). In lab studies, it actually reduced mental illness rather than induced it when appropriate controls were maintained.

Organismic-holistic: The plant makes the cells, not the other way around. or, an organism must be seen as more than just the sum of its parts. This organism seeks environments somewhere between overload and understimulation.

Sociopetal and sociofugal: Two kinds of space defined by Osmond 1957, to describe environments that inhibit or encourage conversation. (environmental cause of behavior). Sociopetal (high ceilings, large volume, high lighting) led to less conversation. Sociofugal (low lighting, low ceilings, etc.) led to more conversation.

Theories originating within the person: Seeing human behavior as a result of what each individual brings to a situation is known as trait theory. The opposite is situational determinism which states that the individual is unimportant, only the environment is important.

Stress: (Seyle 1956). Environments can be stressful. Individuals deal with stress through belief systems.