Assessment of simulated environments
Ian BISHOP & Bernd ROHRMANN (University of
Melbourne)
= Project summary =
This investigation deals with the use of computer-generated
simulations
of urban or natural environments in visual perception research,
landscape
design and urban planning. It involves an interdisciplinary
collaboration
between computer-based environmental simulation (Bishop) and
environmental
psychology and measurement (Rohrmann). The project consists of two
studies, one lab
and one field study: <1> Cognitive and affective assessment of
simulated
environments (1995/6) and <2> Computer-simulations of built and
natural
environments: Perception and evaluation (1996/7); both studies received
grants from the Australian Research Council (ARC).
In study <1>, variations
of a simulation of a suburban environments were presented to
respondents
(N=100) to investigate the effects of lighting (day/sun, day/fog,
night),
shadows (yes/no) and sound (on/off) on perceived simulation quality.
In
study <2>, an actual site (suburban; mixed built/natural) and
computer-simulations
of this environments were assessed by groups of respondents in day and
night conditions (N=40+40). In both studies, comprehensive
questionnaires
measuring cognitive and affective aspects are employed. The findings
will
further clarify the validity of computer simulations for assessing
existing
and future environments.
Note:
A continuation of this research project is underway; cf. VEV = "Virtual environments and human
perception: experiments in validity" in the list of projects.
= Publications
=
Bishop, I. D., & Rohrmann, B. (2003). Subjective responses to
simulated
and real environments: comparison.
Landscape & Urban Planning, 65, 261-277.
Rohrmann, B., & Bishop, I. (2002). Subjective responses to
computer
simulations of urban environments. Journal of
Environmental Psychology, 22, 319-331.
Rohrmann, B., Bishop, I. D. , Palmer, S. (2000). Validity of
computer-simulated
environments. In: Moore, G., Hunt, J., Trevillon, L. (Eds.),
Environment-Behavior
Research on the Pacific Rim: Proceedings PaPER'98 (pp. 341-352).
Sydney:
Faculty of Architecture, University of Sydney. {reprint: pqc.pdf }
= Contact address =
Assoc. Prof. Ian. BISHOP, Centre for Geographic Information Systems
and
Modelling, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010 AUSTRALIA
Phone +61 3 83446944 Fax 93474916 E-mail i.bishop@engineering.unimelb.edu.au
Assoc. Prof. Bernd ROHRMANN, School of Behavioural Science, Dept of
Psychology, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, AUSTRALIA
Phone +61 3 83446349 Fax 93476618 E-Mail mail@rohrmannresearch.net