Effects of Audio-Visual Environmental Factors on Emotion Perception of Campus Walking Spaces in Northeastern China

Abstract

In the context of urban sustainable development and the creation of pedestrian-friendly campus environments, optimizing campus walking spaces has emerged as a central focus in urban planning research. Presently, research in pedestrian environments predominantly adopts a macroscopic perspective, offering limited insights into pedestrians’ subjective experiences and emotional perceptions at a micro level. Therefore, this study conducted on-site experiments in 21 walking spaces across three campuses, utilizing image semantic analysis, multifunctional sound level meter, wearable electrocardiography devices, and the Profile of Mood States (POMS) to collect data separately on audio-visual environmental factors and pedestrians’ emotional states. This study’s findings revealed significant correlations (p < 0.01) among factors such as the Green Visual Index, Spatial Enclosure Index, Sky Visibility Index, Spatial feasibility Index, and Equivalent Continuous A-weighted Sound Pressure Level with physiological and psychological alterations in pedestrians’ emotions. Additionally, the various proportions of audio-visual environmental factors also exerted significant influences on emotions (p < 0.05). The relevant conclusions can provide a reference for optimizing the audio-visual environment of walking space and promoting the sustainable development of the campus. In future research, the effects of audio-visual environments on both emotional and physiological indicators, as well as subjective evaluations, can be explored further.