Similarities and Differences in the Outsiders and Insiders' Visual Preferences on Sacred Landscape

Abstract

Previous studies have reported religious and non-religious people as having different psychological experiences when visiting sacred landscapes; however, the visual consensus and differences between diverse groups visiting them have rarely been considered. This study used subjective preference evaluation and experimental eye tracking to assess the visual preferences of different groups regarding sacred landscapes. Overall, 48 photos of the Han Chinese Buddhist temples were selected as stimulus materials, including the categories of squares, architecture, waterscapes, and plants. In all, 90 participants were classified into two groups of outsiders and insiders to view the photos. The consensus and differences in their visual preferences and eye movement metrics were evaluated. The results showed that the two groups were more inclined toward the visual preference of religious architectures than the natural landscape that people usually prefer. Another noteworthy discovery revealed the significant differences between the outsiders and the insiders in viewing and evaluating sacred landscapes; the immersion effect explains this result. Specifically, the group with a higher interaction with the environment had greater visual experiences, easier visual information coding, and larger visual exploration range. In addition, this study revealed familiarity with the religious background facilitated achieving a higher consistency between the landscape preference scores and the eye movement metrics. These findings expand the theory of religious environment perception and provided important insights for subsequent research on sacred landscape planning and management.

Eye Movement Variations in Indoor, Outdoor, and Reading Scenarios and their Implications for Myopia

“…Previous studies on eye movement behaviors in different scenes have primarily focused on the restorative effects, i.e., the recovery from mental fatigue and stress, and their impact on the physiological and psychological conditions of observers in natural scenes compared to urban and modern architecture. [33][34][35][36] These studies focused on visual attention towards targets, not the eyeball. In contrast, this study examines the eyeball's movement behaviors across different scenarios.…”

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Analysis and Optimization of Landscape Preference Characteristics of Rural Public Space Based on Eye-Tracking Technology: The Case of Huangshandian Village, China

“…For example, Li et al divided 90 participants into two groups of outsiders and insiders to view photos of Han Buddhist temples. Consensus and differences in their visual preferences and eye movement metrics were assessed [48]. Dupont et al divided the experimental group into 21 landscape experts and 21 amateurs and asked them to observe 74 landscape photographs to explore whether expertise in landscape-related issues affects the way landscapes are observed [49].…”