Neighborhood blue spaces as enabling places for emotional well-being: How does visual perception influence affective arousal and valence

A growing body of evidence suggests that exposure to blue spaces benefits health and well-being. However, the effects of neighborhood blue spaces with varying visual characteristics on affective responses remain underexplored from a neurocognitive perspective. The current study sought to decipher the influence of visual perception (encompassing both visual exposure and visual behavior) of neighborhood blue spaces on affective arousal and valence by integrating eye-tracking and functional near-infrared spectroscopy methods. Visual exposure was constructed by the naturalness of the space and the proportion of landscape elements. A 3 × 3 × 2 picture-set design was implemented, with 46 participants viewing the images in a virtual reality environment. Visual behavior was assessed using eye-tracking technology, while affective responses were measured through oxygenated hemoglobin levels and subjective evaluations. The results revealed that neighborhood blue spaces with a higher degree of naturalness were characterized by fewer fixation and saccade counts, larger mean pupil diameters, and higher levels of subjective relaxation, pleasure, and preference. Visual perception for specific landscape elements exhibited a stronger correlation with affective valence than with affective arousal. The visual proportion of, and fixation duration on, shrubs and traditional buildings were positively associated with affective valence. This study offers valuable insights into the emotional benefits of neighborhood blue spaces and has implications for the design of healthy neighborhoods and emotionally-enabling spaces. The findings suggest that when planning and designing neighborhood blue spaces, not only the natural components but also artificial components with cultural meanings, such as traditional buildings, should be considered.