AN EXPERIMENTAL-ANALYSIS OF THE PERCEPTION OF THE AREA OF AN OPEN SPACE USING 3-D STEREO DYNAMIC GRAPHICS

This article experimentally investigated the perception of the area of an open space. In the experiment, 3-D stereo dynamic graphics were us ed to present subjects with a simulated environment in which subjects walked around, thus creating a hypothetical reality of being in an act ual city. Having walked through the simulated city, subjects conducted two kinds of area judgment tasks. The results showed that the shape a nd location of an open space affect the perception of the area. These effects were termed the width/depth ratio effect and the visible area effect. Three models were formulated to explain the perception of area . Each model was statistically tested and the best-fit model was deter mined. The best-fit model suggested that the largest visible area and the judgement of the inside and outside of a setback space played an i mportant role in deriving the perceived area.