Submitted by Fabio Sobreira Campos da Costa (fabio.sobreira@ufpe.br) on 2016-04-29T14:33:02Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) Dissertação_Elzani Rafaela Ferreira de Almeida Sobral_VERSÃO BC.pdf: 4686078 bytes, checksum: 34f4df40c65b12d76ecf5866f7a96fc7 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-29T14:33:02Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) Dissertação_Elzani Rafaela Ferreira de Almeida Sobral_VERSÃO BC.pdf: 4686078 bytes, checksum: 34f4df40c65b12d76ecf5866f7a96fc7 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-07-24 / CAPEs / A presente dissertação faz parte do Grupo de Pesquisa – Ergonomia Aplicada ao Ambiente Construído vinculado ao programa de Pós-Graduação em Design da UFPE, e apresenta um estudo acerca da Percepção Ambiental usuários idosos, considerando seus desejos e anseios em ambientes residenciais. Visando avaliar a percepção do espaço físico por parte dos idosos esse estudo tem como objetivo principal investigar ferramentas de percepção ambiental, a fim de identificar suas adequações na compreensão da percepção de idosos acerca do ambiente em quem estão inseridos. Para tanto, foram utilizadas duas ferramentas: Poema dos Desejos e Seleção visual, a fim de verificar se tais instrumentos são eficientes para identificar a percepção dos idosos. O trabalho colabora com pesquisas que visam entender como idosos percebem seu lugar de morar. Para tanto, foram realizadas visitas ao local estudo de campo, o Residencial Cidade Madura, localizado na cidade de João Pessoa – PB, que fornece as características necessárias para o estudo, a fim de executar as aplicações das ferramentas selecionadas com 20 usuários. Os resultados obtidos foram analisados e categorizados de acordo com os aspectos apresentados pelos pesquisados, verificando suas necessidades e anseios. As experiências obtidas ao longo de suas vidas e o declínio físico e cognitivo influenciam o modo de vida dos idosos, o que incide diretamente em seus desejos. As diversas visões e experiências distintas evidenciam formas de interpretação divergente do mesmo ambiente. Desta forma, o objetivo principal do trabalho de investigar ferramentas de percepção ambiental, a fim identificar suas adequações na compreensão da percepção de idosos acerca do ambiente em quem estão inseridos, foi alcançado. Foi constatado que as ferramentas utilizadas nesta pesquisa são eficazes à medida em que são interpretadas e respondidas pelos idosos. Porém, não foram consideradas ideais para aplicação com esses usuários, visto que a maioria deles apresentaram respostas abstratas, em que algumas vezes não apresentando seus desejos, ou não abordam aspectos referentes ao ambiente físicos, dificultando o entendimento acerca de como os idosos percebem os ambientes. / The dissertation is part of the Research Group – Ergonomics applied to Built Environment linked to a Design Pos-graduation at UFPE, and present a study about the elderly users Environment Perception, considering their wishes and desires in residential environment. To evaluate the perception of the physical area for the elderly this study has the main objective explore the environmental perception tools in order to identify their adjustments in the understanding of perception of the elderly about the environment in whom they live. For this, we used two tools: the Wishing Poem and Vision screening in order to determine whether such tools are efficient to identify the elderly perception. The work contributes to research that aim to understanding how the elderly perceive their living place. To this end, visits were made to the local field of study, the Residêncial Cidade Madura, located in the city of João Pessoa - PB, which provides the necessary characteristics for the study in order to run the applications of the tools selected with 20 users. The results were analyzed and categorized according to the aspects presented by the interviewees, checking your needs and desires. The experiences gained throughout their lives and the physical and cognitive decline influence the way of life of the elderly, which focuses directly on your desires. The different views and different experiences show forms of differing interpretations of the same environment. Thus, the main objective of this study to investigate environmental awareness tools in order to identify their adjustments in the understanding of perception of the elderly about the environment in whom they belong has been reached. It was found that the tools used in this research are effective as they are interpreted and answered by the elderly. However, they were not considered ideal for use with these users, since most of them had abstract answers, where sometimes not presenting your preferences, or do not address aspects related to physical environment, hampering the understanding of how the elderly perceive the environment.

Master of Science / Department of Horticulture, Forestry, and Recreation Resources / Richard H. Mattson / With the advancement of urbanization, many children today have limited or no experiences with nature or survival instincts as described by the nature (Biophilia) hypothesis. Today, children's preference toward landscapes may be more reflective of cultural experiences learned from family, teachers, or classmates, and referred to as the nurture hypothesis. In this research study, two visual surveys were used to investigate the nature vs. nurture hypotheses. In the first survey, 93 multicultural American children were asked to identify their preferred colors for symbols of bananas, tulips, birds, and trees. In the second survey, 202 children from American and Japanese schools were asked their visual preferences and emotional responses to photographs of landscapes, trees, homes, and nature scenes. Subjects were first, third, and sixth grade elementary school students in America and Japan. The effects of culture, age, and gender were evaluated. In addition, the relative preference and emotional impact of plants and landscapes were examined. In the first study, younger children preferred all colors that exist in nature. However, responses of the older children would support the nurture hypothesis. Older children selected fewer and more appropriate colors, such as yellow bananas, reflecting a learned behavior. Also, boys preferred blue symbols while girls selected red with higher frequency than other colors. In the second study, American children preferred the Japanese landscape and tree scenes, and reported more positive emotion than Japanese children toward the American and Japanese tree scenes. Younger American children showed more positive emotions toward the American home scene. Although first and third grade Japanese children preferred Japanese scenes, more sixth grade Japanese children preferred American scenes. In conclusion, visual preferences and emotional responses are influenced by content of photographs, and evidence supports both the nature and the nurture hypothesis among Japanese and American children.

<p>In perimeter building zones with glass façades, controllable fenestration (daylighting/shading) and electric lighting systems are used as comfort delivery systems under dynamic weather conditions, and their operation affects daylight provision, outside view, lighting energy use, as well as overall occupant satisfaction with the visual environment. A well-designed daylighting and lighting control should be able to achieve high level of satisfaction while minimizing lighting energy consumption. Existing daylighting control studies focus on minimizing energy use with general visual comfort constraints, when adaptive and personalized controls are needed in high performance office buildings. Therefore, reliable and efficient models and methods for learning occupants’ personalized visual preference or satisfaction are required, and the development of optimal daylighting controls requires integrated considerations of visual preference/satisfaction and energy use. </p> <p>In this Dissertation, a novel method is presented first for developing personalized visual satisfaction profiles in daylit offices using Bayesian inference. Unlike previous studies based on action data, a set of experiments with human subjects was designed and conducted to collect comparative visual preference data (by changing visual conditions) in private offices. A probit model structure was adopted to connect the comparative preference with a latent satisfaction utility model, assumed in the form of a parametrized Gaussian bell function. The distinct visual satisfaction models were then inferred using Bayesian approach with preference data. The posterior estimations of model parameters, and inferred satisfaction utility functions were investigated and compared, with results reflecting the different overall visual preference characteristics discovered for each person.</p> <p>Second, we present an online visual preference elicitation learning framework for efficiently learning and eliciting occupants’ visual preference profiles and hidden satisfaction utilities. Another set of experiments with human subjects was conducted to implement the proposed learning algorithm in order to validate the feasibility of the method. A combination of Thompson sampling and pure exploration (uncertainty learning) methods was used to balance exploration and exploitation when targeting the near-maximum area of utility during the learning process. Distinctive visual preference profiles of 13 subjects were learned under different weather conditions, demonstrating the feasibility of the learning framework. Entropy of the distribution of the most preferred visual condition is computed for each learned preference profile to quantify the certainty. Learning speed varies with subjects, but using a single variable model (vertical illuminance on the eye), most subjects could be learned to an acceptable certainty level within one day of stable weather, which shows the efficiency of the method (learning outcomes). </p> <p>Finally, a personalized shading control framework is developed to maximize occupant satisfaction while minimizing lighting energy use in daylit offices with roller shades. An integrated lighting-daylighting simulation model is used to predict lighting energy use while it also provides inputs for computing personalized visual preference profiles, previously developed using Bayesian inference from comparative preference data. The satisfaction utility and the predicted lighting energy use are then used to form an optimization framework. We demonstrate the results of: (i) a single objective formulation, where the satisfaction utility is simply used as a constraint to when minimizing lighting energy use and (ii) a multi-objective optimization scheme, where the satisfaction utility and predicted lighting energy use are formulated as parallel objectives. Unlike previous studies, we present a novel way to apply the MOO without assigning arbitrary weights to objectives: allowing occupants to be the final decision makers in real-time balancing between their personalized visual satisfaction and energy use considerations, within dynamic hidden optimal bounds – through a simple interface. </p> <p>In summary, we present the first method to incorporate personalized visual preferences in optimal daylighting control, with energy use considerations, without using generic occupant behavior models or discomfort-based assumptions.</p>

Globally, urbanization and urban growth have reached unprecedented rates in cities. Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, is no exception to the rapid urbanization and growth that has occurred in a sprawling and low-density pattern. Riyadh has set a controversial target of doubling its current population of 7.1 million to reach 10-15 million by 2030, emphasizing the importance of making this growth sustainable. Currently, the literature on the applications of smart growth gives little attention to public participation in decision-making regarding the future growth of cities. Specifically, there is a lack of research focused on integrating the public into the decision-making process for managing population increases over a short time frame (e.g., ten years). In Riyadh, the planning process does not provide precise mechanisms for public engagement or preferences in shaping future growth. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to manage this rapid urbanization and growth smartly by shaping future growth from the perspective of residents' preferences and how to draw that into urban policies. This study aims to shed light on residents' satisfaction with the current neighborhoods. In addition, the study aims to investigate residents' preference for the smart growth strategy as a new urban pattern in the city. The study uses the survey method to measure residents' satisfaction with the existing neighborhoods of Riyadh through an online questionnaire. Furthermore, another online questionnaire that combines both a discrete choice experiment and visual preference for the principles of smart growth is used to examine preferences for smart growth. This study adopted a number of statistical models, and the questionnaire was conducted with 3,111 respondents for the first questionnaire and 1,710 respondents for the second questionnaire as completed answers. The results of the first questionnaire were analyzed using descriptive statistics and by examining the correlations between neighborhood elements, including the physical environment and demographic data. This study also employed the multinomial logit model to analyze the results of residents' preferences, and the latent class analysis to reveal the homogeneity and heterogeneity of preferences among respondents. The results of the neighborhood satisfaction questionnaire indicated a divergence in opinions across the three sections identified in the first questionnaire. The results indicated dissatisfaction, particularly with neighborhood characteristics, transportation and accessibility elements, and urban landscape components. Satisfaction levels leaned more toward neutrality to dissatisfaction, reflecting the possibility that rapid growth may have affected the quality of services and facilities in neighborhoods. The results of the second questionnaire showed strong and explicit preferences for neighborhoods characterized by walkability and bikeability lanes, transportation availability, and parks across both 30-meter and 60-meter streets. There was also a preference, though to a lesser extent, for diverse housing options and densities represented by seven-story buildings, as well as a slight preference for mixed-use buildings. The latent class analysis further revealed six distinct groups of urban preferences in the neighborhoods. These findings highlighted the need for improvements in some urban dimensions discussed in this study, which showed low satisfaction results. Moreover, the findings enabled the creation of a set of recommended urban development policies to ensure that future growth aligns with the preferences of Riyadh residents. The results reflected the need to create vibrant, integrated, and comprehensive urban communities that enhance quality of life while providing diverse transportation options, green spaces, appropriate densities, mixed-use developments, and diverse housing options. / Doctor of Philosophy / Rapid urbanization and expansion are among the most significant urban challenges facing many major cities worldwide. Riyadh is one such city that has experienced rapid growth due to the economic boom of past decades, which led to the establishment of numerous ministries and company headquarters within the city. This growth resulted in the migration of many Saudi residents to Riyadh, prompting the rapid construction of neighborhoods and residential complexes to accommodate the increased population. However, this urban expansion occurred without community participation in shaping urban decisions, leading to scattered urban development. Today, Riyadh has set an ambitious target of accommodating about 10-15 million residents (about 7.1 million currently) by 2030. Such a decision may introduce new urban challenges for Riyadh. Accordingly, this study aims to first measure residents' satisfaction with residential neighborhoods resulting from previous growth and assess whether these neighborhoods provide all necessary services across various dimensions. Additionally, the study seeks to test one strategy for managing growth by adopting the principles of smart growth and understanding residents' preferences for this approach through proactive community involvement in urban decision-making for the upcoming growth. This study used two electronically distributed questionnaires to measure satisfaction with current neighborhoods and residents' preferences. The results indicated dissatisfaction in most dimensions of the neighborhoods. They also revealed residents' preference for many smart growth principles, with variations across the different principles.

Le propos de ce travail de thèse est d’examiner le développement de la formation de catégories de visages, par l’étude des préférences visuelles des nourrissons dans la première année de vie. Nous avons cherché à préciser les mécanismes de formation des préférences visuelles en les intégrant dans le cadre théorique développé par Valentine (1991), le face-space. Nous avons proposé de lier ces préférences à la manière dont l’expérience perceptive des nourrissons avec différentes catégories de visages va structurer l’espace de représentation des visages. De manière générale, nous avons postulé que les nourrissons présenteront des préférences pour les visages proches de la tendance centrale (i.e., prototype) du face-space. Nous avons mis en évidence une tendance des nourrissons de 0 à 6 mois à présenter un biais pour des visages d’adultes par rapport à des visages de nourrissons (Etudes 1 et 2), les premiers correspondant à une catégorie de visages prépondérante de l’environnement des nourrissons, là où les seconds correspondent à une catégorie de visages peu rencontrée. Ce biais pour la familiarité s’est avéré disparaitre à 9 et 12 mois (Etude 3). Ces préférences liées à la familiarité pourraient être liées à une forme de fausse reconnaissance du visage des proches des nourrissons, issue de la surreprésentation de ces visages dans le quotidien des nourrissons. Ce pattern de préférences n’a en revanche pas été retrouvé lorsque des nourrissons de 3 à 12 mois ont été confrontés à des visages d’enfants ou de nourrissons (Etudes 4 et 5), les résultats montrant plutôt une préférence pour les visages les moins familiers, relativement à l’expérience des nourrissons. Nous avons ensuite étudié les capacités de catégorisation de nourrissons de 9 et 12 mois pour des visages de différentes catégories d’âges, i.e., adulte, enfant, nourrisson (Etude 6). Les nourrissons de 12 mois ont formé des catégories discrètes des visages d’adulte et de nourrissons d’une part, et d’enfants et de nourrissons d’autre part. Les nourrissons de 9 mois en revanche ont montré un pattern plus asymétrique en ce qu’ils ont formé une représentation des visages d’enfants excluant un nouveau visage de nourrisson, et une représentation des visages de nourrissons incluant un nouveau visage d’enfant. Les nourrissons ayant tous une expérience de la crèche, donc des visages de nourrissons, cette asymétrie pourrait être liée à une influence de la connaissance de cette catégorie de visage. Dans une dernière étude (Etude 7) nous avons cherché à montrer plus directement le lien entre préférences visuelles et proximité par rapport au prototype, chez des nourrissons humains de 12 mois et des nourrissons macaques de 3 mois (Macaca mulatta). La mise en évidence de préférences liées à la distance par rapport au prototype chez ces deux populations suggère la présence d’un mécanisme commun aux deux espèces conduisant à la formation de préférences visuelles pour les visages. / The purpose of this work is to examine of the development of face category formation using infants’ visual preferences. We investigated the mechanisms leading to differential face preferences by integrating them in the theoretical framework developed by Valentine (1991), the face-space. We proposed that the way perceptual experience shape the structure of the face-space is a determinant of infants’ face preferences. We postulated that faces close to the central tendency of the face-space (i.e., prototype) will be preferred. We first reported a bias to look more toward adult faces than infant faces from birth to 6 month of age (Studies 1 and 2). Adult faces correspond to a frequently encountered category while infant faces represent a less frequently encountered category. We also showed a downturn of this familiarity bias as infants grow older (Study 3). The preferences showed by younger infants might be linked to a form of false recognition of the caregivers’ faces, due to the massive exposure to these faces. This pattern of preferences was not found in 3-to 12-month-olds presented with child and infant faces (Studies 4 and 5). Conversely, infants showed a tendency to prefer the less familiar faces, depending on their perceptual experience. We then studied 9- and 12-month-olds’ abilities to form categories of faces differing by age, i.e., adult, child, and infant faces, (Study 6). Twelve-month-olds formed discrete categories of adult and infant faces in one hand, and of child and infants faces on the other hand. Nine month-olds showed an asymmetric pattern of behavior, forming categories of child faces that exclude a new infant face, and categories of infant faces that include a new child face. All these infants being exposed to infant faces via nursery, the asymmetry might stem from the influence of the knowledge of this category of faces. In the last study (Study 7), we tried to provide more direct evidences of the link between face preferences and the distance from the prototype in two different populations: 12-month-old human infants, and 3-month-old macaque infants (Macaca mulatta). Preferences for faces close to the prototype in both species suggest a common mechanism leading to face preferences.

The thesis, entitled "What I like to watch?" is aimed at inquiry of preschool age children's visual preferences. Whole work purpose is to realize a didactical project in the kindergarden and find out preschool children's visual preferences through art activites and artefiletics. Parents' information are also very important contribution because it contains important facts about preschool children's visual preferences.