The Influence of Different Visual Elements of High-Density Urban Observation Decks on the Visual Behavior and Place Identity of Tourists and Residents

This study focuses on the visual attention of residents and tourists to elements of urban landscapes from above. It screens out elements that attract viewers’ attention, assesses their aesthetics, and explores how these aesthetic evaluations affect the psychology of place identity. We tracked data f...

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Main Authors: Pohsun Wang, Hao Fu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-04-01
Series:Applied Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/7/3875
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author Pohsun Wang
Hao Fu
author_facet Pohsun Wang
Hao Fu
author_sort Pohsun Wang
collection DOAJ
description This study focuses on the visual attention of residents and tourists to elements of urban landscapes from above. It screens out elements that attract viewers’ attention, assesses their aesthetics, and explores how these aesthetic evaluations affect the psychology of place identity. We tracked data from 30 participants, collected responses from 237 participants, and observed differences in visual behaviors and emotional connections to place identity. The results show that while residents and tourists exhibit similar visual behaviors when viewing the same landscape, they have large differences in their perceptual behaviors for different visual elements and have very different familiarity levels in the place identity dimension. Landmark buildings attract strong visual attention despite their low proportion in the overall landscape. Aesthetic factors such as the color vividness of elements like water, mountains, and landmark buildings significantly affect place identity. This study shows that combining eye-tracking and psychometric analysis can effectively evaluate urban landscape perception and provide valuable insights for visual planning and preservation efforts in historic neighborhoods.
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spelling doaj-art-772119bcfcc04976a2ddcfcbd1c0a03a2025-08-20T02:15:55ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172025-04-01157387510.3390/app15073875The Influence of Different Visual Elements of High-Density Urban Observation Decks on the Visual Behavior and Place Identity of Tourists and ResidentsPohsun Wang0Hao Fu1Faculty of Innovation and Design, City University of Macau, Macau 999078, ChinaFaculty of Innovation and Design, City University of Macau, Macau 999078, ChinaThis study focuses on the visual attention of residents and tourists to elements of urban landscapes from above. It screens out elements that attract viewers’ attention, assesses their aesthetics, and explores how these aesthetic evaluations affect the psychology of place identity. We tracked data from 30 participants, collected responses from 237 participants, and observed differences in visual behaviors and emotional connections to place identity. The results show that while residents and tourists exhibit similar visual behaviors when viewing the same landscape, they have large differences in their perceptual behaviors for different visual elements and have very different familiarity levels in the place identity dimension. Landmark buildings attract strong visual attention despite their low proportion in the overall landscape. Aesthetic factors such as the color vividness of elements like water, mountains, and landmark buildings significantly affect place identity. This study shows that combining eye-tracking and psychometric analysis can effectively evaluate urban landscape perception and provide valuable insights for visual planning and preservation efforts in historic neighborhoods.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/7/3875visual elementsplace identitylandscapeeye-trackingquestionnairesHistoric Centre of Macao
spellingShingle Pohsun Wang
Hao Fu
The Influence of Different Visual Elements of High-Density Urban Observation Decks on the Visual Behavior and Place Identity of Tourists and Residents
Applied Sciences
visual elements
place identity
landscape
eye-tracking
questionnaires
Historic Centre of Macao
title The Influence of Different Visual Elements of High-Density Urban Observation Decks on the Visual Behavior and Place Identity of Tourists and Residents
title_full The Influence of Different Visual Elements of High-Density Urban Observation Decks on the Visual Behavior and Place Identity of Tourists and Residents
title_fullStr The Influence of Different Visual Elements of High-Density Urban Observation Decks on the Visual Behavior and Place Identity of Tourists and Residents
title_full_unstemmed The Influence of Different Visual Elements of High-Density Urban Observation Decks on the Visual Behavior and Place Identity of Tourists and Residents
title_short The Influence of Different Visual Elements of High-Density Urban Observation Decks on the Visual Behavior and Place Identity of Tourists and Residents
title_sort influence of different visual elements of high density urban observation decks on the visual behavior and place identity of tourists and residents
topic visual elements
place identity
landscape
eye-tracking
questionnaires
Historic Centre of Macao
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/7/3875
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