The interactive influence mechanism of visual and olfactory stimuli on college students’ preferences for campus green spaces

Abstract

As a core environmental setting in students’ daily lives and studies, campus green spaces have a direct impact on cognitive performance and psychological well-being. Grounded in Attention Restoration Theory, this study investigates the interactive effects of olfactory–visual stimuli on college students’ perceptual evaluation of campus green spaces and their restorative experiences. The experimental site of this study is Nanjing Institute of Technology in East China, where we employ systematic measurement methods to analyze the interactive psychological impact of olfactory and visual stimuli. Using rosemary and camphor leaves as representative aromatic plant substances, a comprehensive assessment of students’ emotional states and environmental perceptions is conducted through eye tracking, blood pressure monitoring, and attention tests. Finally, based on the empirical findings, corresponding strategies to improve multisensory landscape design in campus green spaces are proposed. The results indicate that the visual system is primarily responsible for spatial structure recognition, while the olfactory system is more involved in emotional regulation and atmosphere creation. Plant aromas directly influence physiological and emotional states, and modulate visual landscape evaluations through cross-modal mechanisms, thereby enhancing restorative effects compared to visual-only designs. This study validates the value of integrating environmental perception into campus landscape design, transcending the limitations of traditional single-sensory evaluation models. The findings contribute to the development of campus environment systems oriented toward physical and mental well-being.