Research on the Preference of Public Art Design in Urban Landscapes: Evidence from an Event-Related Potential Study

Abstract

As urbanization quickens, the role of public art in urban landscape design gains prominence. Nevertheless, how stylistic characteristics of landscape public art affect aesthetic preferences remains insufficiently discussed, particularly with objective assessment methods. The use of event-related potential (ERP) can offer neurophysiological evidence to support research and practice in landscape art design. We employed a 2 (artistic features) × 2 (professional proficiency) repeated-measures design, involving abstract and figurative experimental stimuli; both experts and non-experts participated, with their aesthetic reactions and relevant electroencephalographic data recorded. Behavioral findings show a preference for figurative public artworks regardless of professional background. From neurophysiological outcomes, stimuli elicit an elevated N100 during early perceptual processing, signifying increased attentional resources. During aesthetic processing, figurative stimuli more effectively evoke positive emotions, particularly among professionals, yielding a heightened P200 response. Conversely, abstract stimuli may evoke a higher N200 amplitude, reflecting augmented negative biases. Nevertheless, non-experts exhibit no marked differences in their stimulus responses during aesthetic processing. Research indicates that low-level physical attributes of public artworks are initially noted, while the visual processing of artistic traits lies at a higher perceptual level, necessitating specialized expertise involvement. Furthermore, the complexity of visual perceptual processing plays a significant role in the assessment of landscape art preferences. This study not only offers crucial reference indices for designing urban landscapes that satisfy diverse public aesthetic needs but also lays the foundation for neural techniques to assess landscape design preferences and expands the field of landscape design research.

Urban Landscape Perception Research Based on the ERP Method: A Case Study of Jingdezhen, China

“…Studies show that stimuli-matching cognitive states can elicit positive responses [51,52]. Furthermore, the amplitude of P200 significantly increases in response to positive or beneficial stimuli [32,53]. As demonstrated by Guo et al [54] on preferences for robot appearances, the results indicated a significantly increased P200 amplitude in individuals' responses to preferred robots compared to nonpreferred ones.…”

“…The advantage of these methods is their ability to collect rich data from a wide range of samples; however, these methods have limitations, such as the inability to capture participants' emotional responses in real time, which may lead to discrepancies between reported experiences and actual feelings [30,31]. Additionally, traditional data collection may be influenced by participants' environments and willingness, with cognitive processing often occurring unconsciously or during distraction, which direct interviews may not fully reveal [32].…”

“…P200, an early-appearing positive potential component, typically peaks approximately 200 ms after stimulus onset, with primary activity in the frontal-central and occipital regions [47,48]. It is interpreted as being linked to shifts in attention, the allocation of cognitive resources, and emotional arousal [32,49,50]. Studies show that stimuli-matching cognitive states can elicit positive responses [51,52].…”