Not or Yes in My Back Yard? A physiological and psychological measurement of urban residents in Taiwan

Global urbanization has resulted in a dense concentration of population in cities worldwide. In Asia’s densely populated cities, the existence of “Not In My Back Yard (NIMBY)” facilities is essential for public infrastructure development. However, most NIMBY facilities, such as cemeteries, funeral parlors, electrical towers, garbage dumps, and gas stations, are directly exposed to the urban environment without special environmental design considerations. Additionally, Feng-Shui considerations for the living environments contribute to a negative impression and rejection of NIMBY facilities. This study posits a research hypothesis: Do people experience negative physiological and psychological effects in a NIMBY environment compared to a “Yes In My Back Yard (YIMBY)” environment? This study employed the Fuzzy Delphi method (FDM) to gather experts’ perceptions of NIMBY. Subsequently, virtual reality (VR) scenes based on NIMBY and YIMBY fields were introduced. Heart rate variability (HRV) and emotional state questionnaires (POMS) were utilized to measure the physiological and psychological changes among subjects in both environments. Twenty-eight participants engaged in a two-week experiment, and statistical analysis was employed to compare the significant differences in physiological and psychological values in different environments. The results indicated that the participants in the YIMBY environment exhibited more positive physiological responses. The POMS results also supported the notion that the participants generally demonstrated more stable emotional performance in the YIMBY environment. For future considerations, it is recommended that urban environmental planning and design incorporate more YIMBY elements to promote urban residents’ physical and mental health.