The objective of this research was to assess the effects of three different colours on the interior wall surfaces of classrooms on the perceptual performance of male students, taking into account of their class distinctions. A semantic differential scale composed of 11 bipolar adjectives was applied in order for students of the Incirli Vocational High School, Ankara, Turkey, to evaluate photographs of classrooms with cream, blue and pink wall surfaces. According to the results, spaces with blue walls were perceived to be more positively compared to cream or pink coloured spaces. In addition, it was determined that 9th grade students perceived the spaces more positively compared to 10th, 11th and 12th grade students at level p < 0.05. The results of the study clearly indicate that the use of different colours in interior spaces of a classroom has a statistically significant effect on the perceptual performance of the male students.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to ascertain the effect of age, gender and education level on customer evaluations of store atmospheric attributes (colour, lighting type, musical genre/tempo/volume, circulation area, lighting, climatic conditions, ambient scent and cleanliness) in the context of retail furniture stores. Design/methodology/approach – To that end, a questionnaire was administered to 273 customers who shopped at furniture stores in the Siteler district of Ankara. The reliability coefficients of the data were defined based on their percentage values. Then, to examine the effect of age, gender and education level on customer evaluations of store atmospheric attributes, the appropriate χ2 analysis was applied. Findings – Significant differences in customer evaluations of store atmospheric attributes emerged based on age, gender and education level. Based on those results, certain store atmospheric attributes (colour, lighting type, musical genre/tempo/volume) preferred by customers were suggested to enhance the design of furniture stores. In addition, the store’s circulation area, lighting, climatic conditions, ambient scent and cleanliness were found to have a significant impact on the duration of customer visits to furniture stores. Originality/value – The study scientifically assessed the effects of age, gender and education on the perceptions of customers in terms of ambient atmosphere. Application of these findings to store design should have positive effects on the willingness of customers to remain in the store and should positively affect their shopping decisions.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to ascertain the effect of age, gender and educational level on customer evaluations of the design characteristics of fitting rooms/dressing rooms, such as size, levels of illumination, number of hangers, materials and opening types of doors in retail clothing stores. In the light of these results, the study aims to increase the satisfaction of the customers in retail stores. Design/methodology/approach – These evaluations were analysed according to the demographic characteristics of consumers, such as age, gender and educational level. Since activities in fitting rooms require a certain level of privacy, the features that affected privacy were also considered in this study. The analysis was carried out with research designed for users of fitting rooms in Ankara, Turkey. Findings – Results indicated that demographic characteristics of the customers affected their evaluation of fitting rooms. The statistically significant results between evaluations of customers and their demographic backgrounds were determined. In these analyses, problems emerged due to usage of fitting rooms. Most of the problems complained about were an insufficient number of hangers, lack of mirrors, lack of sitting units, small-sized rooms and poorly illuminated rooms. Moreover, the results showed that customers preferred a totally closed panel door for privacy. Originality/value – This paper reveals a significant relationship between design characteristics of fitting rooms and customer evaluations of fitting rooms. The results of the study suggest that retailers and designers may be able to easily make stores more attractive for customers when installing fitting rooms.

The environmental setting has a direct impact on perception, comfort, motivation, and concentration in learning environments. Accordingly, in computer classrooms, technological equipment and classroom settings can enhance psychological comfort and the learning environment. With this in mind, seemingly subtle differences in interior design/layout, as opposed to the larger matters of architectural design and floor-plan, were assumed to influence the perceptual performance of design students. To verify this hypothesis, the atmospheric attributes of two computer classrooms used to teach 3Dmax and AutoCAD drawing programs at the Department of Furniture and Decoration of Technical Education Faculty at Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey, were tested by eliciting responses to ten bipolar semantic differential items on a Likert-style scale. Results showed that differences in the environmental settings of each classroom had an important influence on the perceptual evaluations of students. Factors such as proximity/distance of pieces of equipment to one another, roominess/crowdedness in terms of the placement of the PC boxes, the presence of paintings and plants, and attention to circulation and sightlines, were observed to have an effect on whether student participants perceived a space positively or negatively. These results imply that preparing an optimal environment would encourage a good relationship between the student and his or her environment, thereby encouraging more productive learning and better motivation and concentration.

ÖZ: Bu araştırmada, okul koridorlarının iç mekânında kullanılan farklı renklerin (krem, mavi ve yeşil) öğrencilerin algısal performansı üzerindeki etkilerinin belirlenmesi amaçlanmıştır. Bu maksatla, Ankara'da bulunan İncirli Teknik ve Endüstri Meslek Lisesi koridorları araştırma ortamı olarak seçilmiştir. Öğrencilerin üç farklı renge sahip koridorları 11 sıfat çiftinden oluşan anlamsal farklılaşma ölçeği ile değerlendirmeleri sağlanmıştır. Elde edilen veriler istatistiksel olarak değerlendirilmiş ve önemli sonuçlara ulaşılmıştır. Buna göre, farklı renklerin kullanıldığı koridorlardan; krem renkli mekânın mavi ve yeşil renkli mekâna oranla daha pozitif algılandığı tespit edilmiştir. Ayrıca, okula yeni başlayan öğrencilerin üst sınıflarda okuyan öğrencilere oranla mekân algılamalarında daha olumlu yaklaşıma sahip oldukları görülmektedir. Elde edilen verilerin, eğitim yapılarının, öğrencileri tarafından algılanan mekânsal imajının pekiştirilmesine katkı sağlayacağı ve okulları ile ilgili memnuniyetlerinin arttırılmasında kullanılabileceği düşünülmektedir. Anahtar sözcükler: eğitim yapıları, koridorlar, mekânsal algı, renk, ışık ABSTRACT: In this research, the effects of different colors (cream, blue and green) used in interior space of school corridors on perceptual performances of students were tried to be determined. For this purpose, the corridors of İncirli Technical and Industry Vocational High School in Ankara was selected as the research environment. Students were requested to evaluate the corridors with three different colors by means of using semantic differentiation scale consisting of 11 adjective pairs. Gained data were statistically evaluated and important results were reached. As a result of this study it was determined that cream colored space is perceived more positively in corridors used different colors compared to blue and green colored space. Also it is seen that beginner students have more positive approaches in their space perceptions compared to students studying in upper classes. According to the data obtained, it is considered that education building will have contributions to strengthen the spatial image perceived by students and may be used to increase the satisfaction of students about their schools. Keywords: education buildings, corridors, spatial perceptions, color, light GİRİŞİnsanlar yaşadıkları çevreyi kendi istek ve gereksinimleri doğrultusunda şekillendirdiği kadar, bu yaratılan çevreler de insanların davranış ve algılamalarını etkilemektedir (Sommer, 1969). Mimari mekânların çekiciliği, ferahlığı ve hoşluğu üzerine yapılan araştırmaların bir kısmı çevresel faktörlerin kullanıcıların algı-davranışsal performansı üzerindeki etkilerine odaklanmıştır (Arthur ve Passini, 1992;Corbusier, 1929;Lawton, 1994;Passini, 1984; Peponis, Zimring, ve Cho, 1990;Sanoff, 1991;Sommer, 1969;Yoo, 1991). İç mekânın özelliklerini belirleyen çevresel faktörler; mekan kalitesini etkileyen en önemli unsurlardır. Ancak çevresel veriler ve bu verilerin algılanması çok geniş bir alanı kapsamaktadır. Baker ...