Previously examined the effect of social-contextual environments on physical activity motives, but how designing environmentals in terms of architecture affect attitudes and motives for physical activity. For instance, some people would prefer to intend in environments for their physical activities which they enjoying because of its beautiful interior architecture and plan.
I would greatly appreciate if anyone kindly shares with me any plan, research and experience and guides.
I certainly believe that when we have an environment that is green and great for exercise and movement, our health gets great benefits. When we live in an environment where crime rates make it unsafe to exercise in the open air, we can only resort to treadmills, and many of us prefer a natural green environment with fresh air. Thanks.
"Over the past 4 decades, numerous scientific reports have examined the relationships between physical activity, physical fitness, and cardiovascular health. Expert panels, convened by organizations such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), and the American Heart Association (AHA),1–3 along with the 1996 US Surgeon General’s Report on Physical Activity and Health,4 reinforced scientific evidence linking regular physical activity to various measures of cardiovascular health."
http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/107/1/e2.full
I believe attached ones at least give you broad view. Enjoy your reading.
Conference Paper Psychosocial influences in design for sustainability: values...
Article Psychology and Design. The Influence of the Environment's Re...
Article The home environment and toddler physical activity: an ecolo...
This is something I am highly interested in as well. Biomechanics/ Kinesiology and the human lifespan are big determiners in how one builds the environment. In this aspect, the field is fairly new but there is applicable research out there (looking for more myself).
Consider the beginning of standards for table height, chair shape, or cupboard size. It was all designed around the average ability of a person and then modified as fads and designs took over. The Bauhaus movement was the beginning on how our convenient design furniture and kitchens are built the way they are now.
However people change, genetics affect our movements, accidents happen, disease occur, and age is unavoidable. How can one design for human health for that individual? Children need interactive spaces and room to grow and develop. Adults need to be able to keep up without strain, and older adults need to maintain without injuring. The same however could be said the other way around for opposite demographics.
I myself am wondering how the built environment can replace the gym. How can the space we design influence our overall health especially in the modern world of consumerism and convenience. With today's technology and devices, there is a huge change necessary to compensate our health and lifestyle.
If you choose to do more inquisitive research, let me know. It will help me immensely in getting further experience outside of my masters program (Design Studies for Human Health).
Thanks for your responses.
Chloe, I do agree that the field is fairly new, there is weakness in the literature.
As you noted, it is important to know how can the space we design influence our healthy life-style as well as how interactive spaces and environmental design can affect motivation for healthy living and physically active.
So, I want to measure motives (intrinsic vs extrinsic motivation) in different environments, and comparing active-inactive people in terms of their environment (green spaces, clubs etc.), as well as what they are looking for in those space, and why choose special spaces, physically active people (enjoyment or health). ? !
I will let you know about the results of my research.
Please keep in touch with me by e-mail ([email protected]).
Behzad
I suggest you to consider the colour factor. It influences very much on our attitude towards any living space. It makes us remain or leave it among others reactions.
There is another topic that must not be disregarded related to toxic building materials and health and the last I remember now, the "sick building syndrome".
Hope to be useful.
If you exercise in a beautiful environment, it stimulates you to continue to do exercises. If you don't like the environment you are inclined to stop: this is the case with ugly dark indoor halls with no windows. Most people in the moderate climate zones like the sun and walking or doing physical exercise outside, in the sun and in a beautiful landscape is a most rewarding experience. So variables at stake are:light, sun, that means intensity of the colors, beauty of the landscape if outdoor or indoor: beauty of the architectonal surroudings. But besides these variables there is another one: if one feels at ease in these surroundings, so what are the associations with this place, what is the vibe, how do you relate to other people in this environment: are they potentially friends or enemies ?
If you want to do research on this subject, it is not enough to just ask some questions. That is because what people think is not always how they feel. So you should also look to what places are the most visited and what places the least and for what reasons. Another way is to let respondents score at photo's of some places they do not know.