The Effect of Perceived Real-Scene Environment of a River in a High-Density Urban Area on Emotions

Mengyixin Li (), Rui Liu, Xin Li (), Shiyang Zhang and Danzi Wu
Additional contact information
Mengyixin Li: School of Architecture and Urban Planning, Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Zhanlanguan Road 1, Xicheng District, Beijing 100044, China
Rui Liu: School of Geomatics and Urban Spatial Information, Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Beijing 102616, China
Xin Li: School of Architecture and Urban Planning, Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Zhanlanguan Road 1, Xicheng District, Beijing 100044, China
Shiyang Zhang: School of Landscape Architecture, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
Danzi Wu: School of Landscape Architecture, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China

Land, 2023, vol. 13, issue 1, 1-17

Abstract: Public sub-health has emerged as a pressing concern in densely populated urban areas. The urban environment, with its innate ability to modulate public emotions, harbors a precious resource in the form of urban rivers, which provide a serene and verdant space. This study focuses on the Liangma River in Chaoyang District, Beijing, selecting two rivers with diverse landscape features as the subjects of research. By employing physiological feedback data in conjunction with a subjective questionnaire, the emotional impact of high-density urban riverside spaces on individuals is quantitatively analyzed. Electrocardiogram (ECG) data, eye movement data, and the positive–negative emotion scale (PANAS) are subjected to data analysis. The study reveals the following key findings: (1) The riverside landscape in high-density urban areas exerts a positive influence on emotional well-being. Individuals in more natural river settings experience greater levels of contentment and relaxation, while those in areas with a higher proportion of artificial elements exhibit increased excitement and happiness. Moreover, scenes characterized by a greater degree of greening have a more pronounced soothing effect on mood. (2) A specific correlation between visual characteristics and emotional fluctuations is observed. The waterfront side of the trail exerts a stronger spatial attraction, and a higher proportion of blue and green spaces significantly contributes to stress relief. (3) The utilization of human-induced engineering technology, which captures emotional changes through physiological feedback, demonstrates a higher level of accuracy and is well-suited for small-scale studies. These findings highlight the potential of arranging diverse types of waterfront footpath landscapes in high-density urban areas and approaching waterfront landscape design and transformation from a novel perspective centered on health intervention. Such efforts hold promise for alleviating the daily pressures faced by the general public and fostering the development of a “healthy city”.

Keywords: high-density city; riverside footpath; real-scene environment perception; physiological feedback; landscape preference (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/1/35/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/1/35/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jlands:v:13:y:2023:i:1:p:35-:d:1308802

Access Statistics for this article

Land is currently edited by Ms. Carol Ma

More articles in Land from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().