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- Title
How Does a Retail Environment Affect Perceived Retail Crowding? A Study Using Virtual Reality.
- Authors
Mejia-Puig, Luis; Korneva, Ekaterina; Chandrasekera, Tilanka
- Abstract
Perceived crowding is a psychological state that occurs when a person's demand for space exceeds the supply. Perceived Retail Crowding (PRC) can therefore be understood as an individual's demand for space in a retail environment. PRC consists of two dimensions: human crowding perceptions and spatial crowding perceptions. Research has shown PRC negatively affects shopping satisfaction. In this study, two different retail environment layouts (linear and curvilinear) were developed using virtual reality (VR) to understand the difference in perceived spatial crowding in these two environments. Twenty participants were randomly assigned to one of two VR environments and spent approximately five to seven minutes immersed and navigating the environment. The participants' emotional responses were recorded through a functional Near-Infrared spectroscopy (fNIR) device. They were also provided with a questionnaire to assess their emotional responses to the environment. PRC was assessed through questionnaire responses and correlated with fNIR readings. The results of this study evidence that linear, in comparison to curvilinear interior layouts, increased PRC and cognitive load (CL), ultimately negatively affecting shopping satisfaction. These findings contribute to better understandings of the influence of design attributes and physical characteristics in retail environments. The main limitations of this study were the sample size and the lack of product exhibition on the shelves.
- Publication
International Journal of Architectonic, Spatial, & Environmental Design, 2023, Vol 17, Issue 1, p151
- ISSN
2325-1662
- Publication type
Academic Journal
- DOI
10.18848/2325-1662/CGP/v17i01/151-165