Sydney, NSW Australia
Environmental Psychology
Environmental Psychology focuses on the way people experience their physical environment and the way the physical environment impacts people.
It is often helpful to think of a physical environment as a theatre stage and people as actors with a script they wish to act out to achieve a particular goal.
Some environments can support the person in achieving their goal, while others can make it harder to reach. Consider trying to find your way around an unfamiliar city. The nature of signage and street patterns can make it easy or difficult.
Environmental Psychology can assist designers in creating places that are easy to use, lift the spirits and help people achieve their goals. It also helps us understand why some built or naturally occurring environments can feel restorative—creating positive emotions and contributing to physical and mental health.
Environmental Psychology also includes the study of “usability” - understanding how to make machines, appliances and even instructional text easier to understand and use.
Thoughts about Indigenous
and colonial perspectives