Prototype and attractiveness in the built environment

Abstract

The present study hypothesized that (1) perception of the built environment is organized around a prototype, the notion extensively studied by Rosch and others, and, (2) judgement of attractiveness of the built environment is influenced by that structure. 37 subjects rated prototypicality of 51 slides of houses and an independent sample of 33 subjects rated attractiveness of the same slide set. Results showed that people perceived some residential houses as more prototypical than others. Also a significant correlation between prototype rating and attractiveness rating was found. People found the high level prototypicality most attractive, as opposed to the low prototypicality stimuli. It was also found that the residential prototype could be identified by physical features.