Psychology and Design. The Influence of the Environment's Representation Over Emotion and Cognition. An ET Study on Ikea Design

Abstract

This study aims at exploring how environment's representation can influence perceived pleasantness and purchasing decisions. Starting from the Attention Restoration Theory, we assumed that natural settings promote wellbeing and allow focusing attention. Moreover, according to the model proposed by Kaplan and Kaplan, environmental features generate a positive affective evaluation of the environment when they communicate coherence, legibility, complexity and mystery. We compared interior design projects exploring the hypothesis that the presence of specific elements inside the environment (human figures; doors and passages; nature elements; everyday objects) elicits a positive emotional reaction and an expression of preference in buyers. Twenty-four college students were shown pictures of different interior spaces: 4 designed by Ikea and 4 by other brands. The images were matched by contents. Participants’ exploration path and fixations were recorded using eye-tracking technology. Environmental pleasantness, restorativeness and willingness to purchase any of the furniture shown were assessed for every room using self-report questionnaires. Data showed that the interior design style proposed by Ikea was overall able to elicit a more positive emotional response, a more active visual exploration and more willingness to buy the furniture. Implication for interior designers and possible future developments are discussed.