A Systematic Review of Place-related Psychological Dimensions of Outdoor Thermal Comfort

Problem: 

More knowledge about the aspects affecting outdoor thermal comfort can help urban designers to enhance the experience of urban places. explaining human responses to thermal stimuli requires more detailed knowledge about the factors and processes affecting thermal comfort. In this regard, beside the impact of objective factors, it is necessary to consider the effect of mental processes. In the last two decades, many researches have been focused on the psychological aspects of thermal comfort. The diversity of influencing psychological factors and the breadth of case study data requires comprehensive reviews to make theoretical inferences and transform them into more structured conceptualizations. On the other hand, review of studies on psychological aspects of outdoor thermal comfort shows a weak link with the basic theories of environmental psychology in the relevant field.

Target:

 The goal of this study was to comprehensively review research findings in the field of psychological aspects of thermal comfort influenced by the experience of urban places, and to create a link between the evidences about psychological influences on outdoor thermal comfort and theoretical concepts of environmental psychology.

The proposed conceptual framework guides and organizes this review. studies were searched based on keywords extracted from theoretical bases, and 28 articles were reviewed in detail. The extracted research outputs were divided based on thematic categorization of the conceptual model, including long-term experience, short-term experience, restorative environments, and momentary person-thermal environment interaction.

Review of studies demonstrates the effect of cognitive factors resulting from long-term experience (association between thermal conditions and spatial characteristics in memory, preferences and attitudes toward thermal experience in urban spaces, and sense of places for the person), short-term experience (short term thermal history, short-term affects and mental fatigue), restorative environments (physical and functional restorative properties, and personal connection to place) and situational interaction between person and thermal environment (congruence with needs/goals and expectations, and coping potential) on outdoor thermal comfort.