Evidence and affect: employing virtual reality to probe what's missing from evidence-based design research. Issue 2 (3rd July 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: McLaughlan, Rebecca; Liddicoat, Stephanie
• Is Part Of: Design for health. Volume 2:Issue 2(2018)
• Page Start: 285
• Page End: 304
• Publication Date: 2018-07-03
• Subjects: Evidence-based design -- research methods -- design research -- affect -- emotion; Medical technology -- Design -- Periodicals; Medical care -- Design -- Periodicals; Health facilities -- Design and construction -- Periodicals; 610.705
• DOI: 10.1080/24735132.2018.1541432
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2473-5132

Abstract

Abstract: Within healthcare environments, evidence-based design (EBD) studies often seek to identify architectural design strategies capable of affecting a reduction in patient anxiety. Yet, the theory of affect is seldom discussed. The definition of affect employed herein refers to a spatial capacity to elicit certain subjective, sensory experiences, and to communicate what dispositions and agencies are enactable in a place. Within this article, we examine the relevance of affect to the field of EBD and present findings from a pilot study where 68 participants were asked to experience and document their responses to three virtual architectural environments with varying aesthetic characteristics. Finally, we provide a discussion of the implications of these findings to the field of EBD and reflect on the affordances of virtual reality (VR) as a method for investigating affect. The discussion is supported by selected data from a corresponding study conducted by the authors within a cancer centre.