Van Doesumand colleagues studied how signage and trash can location influence at-park littering. They determined that “Moving waste receptacles from the interior to the exits of a park makes waste collection more efficient. . . . we removed all waste receptacles from within an urban park and placed them at the exits in three consecutive field studies. . . . litter levels increased from initial baseline. . . .
Neuroscientists have carefully investigated how design can encourage us to be on our best behavior and act in ways our societies value. Applying their research makes it more likely we’ll live law-abiding lives, wash our hands, and smile instead of shout at each other.
When people act in ways that their societies consider ethical, all can benefit. Environmental neuroscientists have developed a rich understanding of how design can encourage space and object users to be on their best behavior— and their insights can be applied in practice.
Zhao lead a group that investigated how environments can influence cheating by 5- and 6-year olds.
Meier and his team have confirmed one of the repercussions of being in an area that feels spacious.
Huangfu and team studied links between workplace cleanliness and employee attitudes toward counterproductive work behavior (CWB).
Batra and his colleagues investigated the relationship between tasting spicy food or seeing spicy food and how aggressive people are.
Visual complexity is an important driver of experience. Both too much and too little are bad for our mood and cognitive performance. Neuroscience research reveals how to manage visual complexity, disorder, and clutter.
Want people to obey the rules, do the right thing, keep out of mischief and just generally, behave in socially acceptable ways? Environmental neuroscientists have done a lot of research on how design can encourage space and object users to be on their best behavior—insights from their studies can be applied in practice.
Tidying shifts shopper behavior
