Affective Quality Attributed to Environments

Abstract

A set of 105 commonly used adjectives descriptive of the affective quality of molar physical environments was developed and factor analyzed (based on 323 subjects' ratings, each of a different environment). Two, independent, bipolar factors of affective quality-pleasing and arousing quality-were obtained and shown to correlate highly with subjects' affective reactions of pleasure and arousal to the environments. The pleasing and- arousing quality dimensions were hypothesized to summarize the emotive capacity attributed to environments and to adequately define the numerous affective descriptors commonly used: peaceful, festive, hectic, disgusting, boring, and the like. They were also offered as partial interpretations of the semantic differential factors of evaluation and activity, respectively.

Destination images, holistic images and personal normative beliefs: Predictors of intention to revisit a destination

“…Greece as a tourist destination utilizing eight bipolar feelings, previously proposed in the study of Russell, Ward, and Pratt (1981). Similar items can also be found in the studies of Baloglu and Bringerg (1997), Baloglu and Mangaloglu (2001), and Russell and Pratt (1980).…”

Pleasure, Arousal, Dominance: Mehrabian and Russell revisited

“…Russell and Carroll, 1999 a. Affect and cognition Russell, Ward, Pratt and Lanius (1980, 1981, 1984, 1999 and Zajonc (1984) conceived pleasure and arousal as indicators of affect, and considered dominance to be a more cognitive indicator (Russell, Pratt, 1980;Russell, Ward, Pratt, 1981). In environmental psychology research affect is a central theme (Russell and Pratt, 1980;Baker, 1992;Ang, 1997;Chebat, 2003;Ryu, 2007).…”

“…Because virtually no meaningful thoughts, actions, or environmental encounters occur without affect". In addition, the cognitive component is of considerable value in experiencing the physical environment as well, because a building has a function and a meaning with a cognitive recognition (Ittelson, 1973;Russell and Pratt, 1980;Russell, 1980;Russell, Ward and Pratt, 1981). Mehrabian (1996) used the term 'disinterest' as a noun to explain pleasure.…”

“…In the field of environmental psychology, pleasure, arousal and dominance are conceived as three basic dimensions of emotional responses that indicate peoples' state of feeling (Mehrabian and Russell, 1974;Russell, 1980;Russell and Pratt, 1980;Zajonc, 1980;Russell, Ward and Pratt, 1981;Bell et al, 2001;Gifford, 2001). However, since 1974 discussions are going on among (environmental) psychologists such as Russell, Ward, Pratt, and Lanius (1980, 1981, 1984, 1999 and Zajonc (1984) about the exact interpretation of the dimensions in connection to cognition and affect and the role of dominance.…”

“…However, since 1974 discussions are going on among (environmental) psychologists such as Russell, Ward, Pratt, and Lanius (1980, 1981, 1984, 1999 and Zajonc (1984) about the exact interpretation of the dimensions in connection to cognition and affect and the role of dominance. Whereas based on a critical review of the literature including findings from recent studies conducted in England and Venezuela Yani-de-Soriano & Foxall (2006) show that dominance is as legitimate an environmental descriptor as pleasure and arousal, in much research less attention is paid to dominance or even not at all (Russell, 1980;Russell, Ward and Pratt, 1981;Chebat, 2003;Mattila and Wirtz, 2006;Kuppens, 2008). In these studies models are used (see for example figure 1) with two axes: horizontally the degree of pleasure and vertically the degree of arousal.…”