about the survey

Review: my interest is in interiors and factors that can make a space look intimate and friendly. I choose to search that using natural lighting and check how the alterations in a light source can affect the interior ambience. by asking peoples opinion on pictures. I thought that doing the survey at the same time I am still experimenting would be interesting since I would have some results that could contribute in a way to my further investigation.

Before I start, I have to express my worries about those tests based on perspective since I am not sure about the objectivity of the results… and I should explain what I mean. Here there are some thoughts I have about how I should work on the survey, what I should take into account and what are the problems I might confront.

A survey has to be organized and set carefully. First of all the researcher has to have a clear plan of what he wants to search and seek the required answers by making the proper questions. The use of words is important.

Since we are talking about the response of people to images the creation and selection of images should be carefully made. For example since my plan is to create a space and change the source of light that affects the ambience of the interior… those changes should have a meaning and be done in critical ways in order have critical results. I mean that after some trials I have to choose which of the pictures I will use at the survey.

Another thing is the available tools. Tests that concern perceptions of interiors should be made in 1:1 scale for more realistic results. Now the same test will be made using pictures of an interior space. Like in photographs the specific view that is chosen affects the impression of a space. At the renders or sketches I will make I should take this into account. My perspectives will affect the people’s perception.

The variety of people that will take the test concerning age, nationalities, sex, cultural level and the number of people are important aspects as well. Bigger number and variety of people groups can have more objective results. The problem is that I might cannot control that.

People many times while participating in a test they react different that in reality. Taking a test many times can trap someone on questions like “what is right for that question?” and they loose their own will. On the other hand some others don’t pay attention and give random answers. And of course since we are talking for a subjective test answers might differ since people differ.

There are in the nature of these kind of surveys about psychological perception some aspects that cannot be predicted or ensure the objectivity of the outcome and some other aspects that are more controlled.

I felt that I should share with you my thoughts about this survey. There should be more aspects that haven’t crossed my mind… So, it is an experiment. Despite the problems, I think the most important is to mention the way I will approach this survey.