Neurophysiological measures for Fascination in urban landscape: do green areas and features play a significant role?

Safety is a multidimensional construct, and theoretical approaches focus on physical and social levels of its determinant and consequences underline that determinant and consequences can be seen both at a physical and social (personal and community) level. Human territoriality involves physical space, possession and identity but also dominance, control, conflict, safety arousal and vigilance. Residents who receive more clues (incivility) of tolerable level of disorder in their immediate environment feel more vulnerable, at risk and fear. First aim of the present research is to understand if presence of risk factors can influence perception of urban insecurity, using neurophysiological methodologies, such as EEG and eye­tracking. Physical order and disorder factors are inserted into some rendering representing urban environments (realistic but not real, in order to control the level of attachment to place). In order to create the most immersive experience as possible these images have been projected on large screens. Factors were chosen according to literature. Perception of insecurity assessed by implicit and physiological (EEG and eye­tracking glasses) and explicit verbal (Likert scales) measures. During the experimental session were assessed: neurophysiological activities by activation state­level of brain (EEG), where visual attention is focused (eye­tracker) and degree of perceived urban insecurity (self­report Likert scale). Results of previous researches (self­report) about perception of urban insecurity show that the increase of risk factors number increase perception of urban insecurity. The present findings show how EEG and eye­tracker methodologies, along with the measurements of explicit variables could be used to obtain hidden information, not obtainable otherwise, and, most importantly, how these tools could help to analyze the perception of insecurity urban escape.