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For centuries, the essence of aesthetic experience has remained one of the most intriguing mysteries for philosophers, artists, art historians and scientists alike. Recently, views emphasizing the link between aesthetics, perception and brain function have become increasingly prevalent (Ramachandran and Hirstein, 1999; Zeki, 1999; Livingstone, 2002; Ishizu and Zeki, 2013). The link between art and the fractal-like structure of natural images has also been highlighted (Spehar et al., 2003; Graham and Field, 2007; Graham and Redies, 2010). Motivated by these claims and our previous findings that humans display a consistent preference across various images with fractal-like statistics, here we explore the possibility that observers' preference for visual patterns might be related to their sensitivity for such patterns. We measure sensitivity to simple visual patterns (sine-wave gratings varying in spatial frequency and random textures with varying scaling exponent) and find that they are highly correlated with visual preferences exhibited by the same observers. Although we do not attempt to offer a comprehensive neural model of aesthetic experience, we demonstrate a strong relationship between visual sensitivity and preference for simple visual patterns. Broadly speaking, our results support assertions that there is a close relationship between aesthetic experience and the sensory coding of natural stimuli.

With the development of urban construction, viaducts have become a key solution to traffic issues and an integral part of urban space. The large number of viaducts have created many under-bridge spaces whose landscapes have a great impact on the public’s psychology and behavior. Different travel modes offer varying perspectives, speeds, and spatial perceptions, influencing the public’s visual preference for under-bridge space landscapes. At present, most existing studies on landscape preference are conducted from the perspective of pedestrians, and quite little has been done about how the public’s landscape preference for the under-bridge space varies in terms of different travel modes. This study is the first to compare travel mode preferences in under-bridge spaces, with the landscape under the viaduct of six representative cities in China as the research object, this study set five landscape features, namely, plant coverage, number of plant species, plant vertical structure, number of plant colors, and vertical greening of bridge columns. Photo stimulation method was used to conduct experiments with the public in the three travel modes, namely, walking, cycling, and car driving. On this basis, this study explored the influence of the five landscape features on the visual preference assessment rendered by the public in different travel modes. The results show that the above five landscape features all exert an important impact on the public’s visual preference assessment. The landscape with high plant coverage, 3–4 plant species, moderate vertical structure of plants, 3–4 plant colors and bridge columns with vertical greening is more popular among the public. The public in different travel modes renders different visual preferences for the under-bridge space landscape. This study provides valuable help for the under-bridge space landscape design. Article Highlights In terms of the three travel modes (walking, cycling, and car-driving), the public has different visual preferences assessment for plant landscapes in under-bridge spaces. The landscape features of the under-bridge space play a key role in influencing the public's visual preference assessment. The five landscape features (plant coverage, number of species, vertical structure, plant color, and vertical greening) affect the public’s visual preference assessment for under-bridge space landscapes.

The features of a street environment play an essential role in human behavior, but predicting the preferred environment becomes challenging for city planning. This paper takes Gulangyu Island as an example and examines tourists’ visual preferences through street view images and a stated preference survey. Based on the findings, planning responses were proposed to provide references for improving tourists’ visual perception of the street’s environment. The results show that tourists’ preferences for the street environment are significantly affected by visual features. From highest to lowest are variety, the green view index, crowdedness, sky openness, and enclosure. The green view index, sky openness, and variety positively affect the visual utility, while crowdedness and enclosure have a negative effect. Among them, variety has the most potent positive effect on visual preference, while crowdedness has the most substantial negative effect. Moreover, there is a balance between green view and enclosure that is affected by green plants, and when the enclosure value is too high, the marginal effect of the green view index will be less effective. Last, the streets with high visual utility have an ideal natural environment, spacious roads, an open sky, and limited architecture.

Human visual perception and visual preferences affect how people perceive and experience the urban environment. Constrained by their methodologies and data availability, the previous studies have struggled to precisely quantify the subjects and objects in urban perception. This research employs visual saliency detection and fractal dimension measurement to quantify the characteristics of urban building façades and visual perception. Through this study, we determine the differences between human visual perception and computer vision. The study shows that (1) human vision exhibits selective preferences, processing building façades with varying complexity levels to form a critical complexity threshold, which is a feature that is not captured by computer vision processing; (2) taking Nanshan District, Shenzhen, as a case study, the value of this threshold is 1.2383; (3) building façades with complexity greater than this threshold are seen as “complex” building façades and vice versa; (4) when perceiving “simple” buildings, human eyes tend to focus on their more complex local areas, whereas for “complex” buildings, they pay more attention to simpler parts. This study provides a reference for conducting quantitative research on urban perception and visual perception.

Greenways are an important component of urban green infrastructure. User experiences and visual preferences are highly related to human well-being. The influencing factors of user experience and the relationship between environmental attributes with visual preference were explored by using the analytic hierarchy process method and questionnaire experiments. In this study, the analytic hierarchy process was conducted to construct the users’ experience evaluation system, and three methods were used to reveal the influencing factors of the users’ experience in the Mulan River greenway, China. The connection between visual perception and environmental attributes was also identified. The results show that the site leveling, plant landscape aesthetics, and air quality are the main factors affecting user experience. The most significant factor influencing visual preference is the green view index. The green view index can promote visual preference within 60%. Various environmental features contribute to visual preference, providing quantitative support for enhancing landscape quality. This research reveals the factors of visual preference that contribute to forming scientific recommendations for the management and quality improvement of the Mulan River greenway.

As global urbanization accelerates, the integration, readability, and connectivity of urban spaces are becoming focal points of international concern, particularly in rapidly developing regions like Asia. The inadequacies of urban wayfinding systems directly affect pedestrians’ wayfinding experiences within city spaces. Pedestrian wayfinding signage, as a critical element supporting pedestrian navigation and urban readability, is often neglected in vehicle-centric urban planning. This study explores the visual preferences of pedestrians regarding wayfinding signage and how these perceptions can be incorporated into the design process. A photo-based survey consisting of 385 pedestrians in Nanning, China, reveals that while many wayfinding signs provide cognitive information, they score lower in visual preference due to poor sensory perception and difficulty in conveying meaning. This study also highlights that the material, color, graphics, and text on signage are key physical attributes influencing the visual preferences of pedestrians. Demographic factors such as age, gender, and professional background also impact these preferences. These findings underscore a broader urban design issue: wayfinding signs must not only clearly communicate navigational information but also enhance the aesthetic and cultural expressions of urban spaces. Current signage systems often neglect these aesthetic and cultural needs, potentially leading to visual fatigue or cultural disconnection, thereby affecting navigation efficiency and urban experience. The results provide empirical foundations for optimizing wayfinding signage designs in urban areas, aiding urban planners and designers in integrating pedestrian preferences to create clearer, more attractive navigation systems, thus improving walking experiences and significantly enhancing the daily lives of city residents.

Highways play a vital role in the road transport system, connecting regions and cities in many parts of the world. It may sometimes offer scenic views or a visually appealing environment based on the availability of unique compositions of natural and man-made elements within the highway vicinity. The highway’s landscapes could significantly impact the journey experience; thus, it is essential to emphasize the need to preserve a visually appealing, safe, and enjoyable highway environment. Although many studies have been conducted regarding the highway visual environment, currently, there is a lack of comprehensive understanding of perception variables that could affect viewers’ preference for highway landscapes. Therefore, this study aims to understand the background of the highway landscape and identify the perception variables and their effect on the preference for highway landscapes. This study conducted a systematic review by searching for keywords in three databases: Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar. The review included 37 research articles published between 1993 and 2023 that met the criteria. An additional nine relevant papers were included through a ‘snowballing’ approach to supplement the research and results. The results of the study focused on multiple perspectives of highway landscape views, viewers’ perspectives and the diversity of highway landscape purposes, viewers’ preferences for highway landscapes, the approach to preferences, and related key variables. This background knowledge deepens the understanding of visual preferences for highway landscapes and helps refine the selection of perceptual variables, establishing an essential reference criterion for professionals.

According to research, there is a disparity in the aesthetic design preferences of the public and architects. This is especially noticeable in urban areas environments, where there is a wide range of demographic variables and a lack of active public involvement in decision-making. The study included a visual preference survey to evaluate the perception and ranking of two dominant color schemes in local development projects in Stockholm across different age, ethnicity, and gender groups from Sweden. Over 400 people participated in the survey, which used photo-elicitation and a literature review. The objective was to determine the extent of divergence and disparities in the ranking of color schemes. The first dominant color schemes are a group of four analogous colors related to the Natural Color System’s (NSC’s) basic colors. The second is a group of four neutral colors that are related to grayscale colors. The study demonstrates that one could also measure building color schemes using visual preference ranking. Moreover, the research introduced a unique method for city planners to understand diverse ethnic, gender, and age group perceptions of color schemes in current projects, promoting active participation in decision-making and providing valuable insights. These insights can enhance people’s sense of belonging, a prerequisite for social sustainability, and improve the quality and profitability of future projects.

In the face of the challenge of urban water resource degradation, green infrastructure construction has become a core strategy in modern urban water resource management. Urban aquatic horticulture (UAH), as an important component of this strategy, possesses the dual value of ecological purification and landscape aesthetics. However, its practical implementation is often constrained by public awareness and acceptance. This study aims to address the mismatch between the dual values of urban aquatic horticulture and public perception, and to develop an optimised plant selection strategy that integrates purification functions with public perception. Based on literature reviews, 18 images of aquatic plant landscapes showcasing different ornamental forms, species richness, and life types were created. A questionnaire survey was conducted on 320 participants to assess their perceptions of landscape aesthetic appeal and visual preferences, and a quantitative relationship model was established using multiple stepwise linear regression analysis. The public’s aesthetic perception of aquatic plant landscapes with different ornamental forms and species richness varies significantly, with flowering plant landscapes more likely to evoke aesthetic perception than non-flowering landscapes. The public’s visual preferences for landscape attributes significantly influence their aesthetic perception of aquatic plant landscapes. A multiple stepwise linear regression equation was established to model the relationship between the aesthetic perception of aquatic plant community landscapes and the public’s visual preferences for landscape attributes. There is no significant association between species richness and perceived landscape aesthetic appeal. The study developed an optimised selection strategy for aquatic plants that integrates purification functions with public perception, providing theoretical basis and practical guidance for the scientific configuration of aquatic horticultural systems in urban green infrastructure. In landscape design, flowering plants with ornamental value should be prioritised, with emphasis on landscape layers, colour, and spatial shaping to enhance public acceptance and promote the sustainable development of urban water resource management.

Mosquitoes track odors, locate hosts, and find mates visually. The color of a food resource, such as a flower or warm-blooded host, can be dominated by long wavelengths of the visible light spectrum (green to red for humans) and is likely important for object recognition and localization. However, little is known about the hues that attract mosquitoes or how odor affects mosquito visual search behaviors. We use a real-time 3D tracking system and wind tunnel that allows careful control of the olfactory and visual environment to quantify the behavior of more than 1.3 million mosquito trajectories. We find that CO 2 induces a strong attraction to specific spectral bands, including those that humans perceive as cyan, orange, and red. Sensitivity to orange and red correlates with mosquitoes’ strong attraction to the color spectrum of human skin, which is dominated by these wavelengths. The attraction is eliminated by filtering the orange and red bands from the skin color spectrum and by introducing mutations targeting specific long-wavelength opsins or CO 2 detection. Collectively, our results show that odor is critical for mosquitoes’ wavelength preferences and that the mosquito visual system is a promising target for inhibiting their attraction to human hosts. Vision in mosquitoes plays a critical but understudied role in their attraction to hosts. Here, the authors show that encounter with an attractive odor gates the mosquito attraction to specific colors, especially the long wavelengths reflected from human skin. Filtering the long wavelengths reflected from the human skin or knocking-out the ability for the mosquito to detect the wavelengths, suppressed their attraction. This work transforms our understanding of mosquito vision from the conventional view that vision does little in mediating mosquito-host interactions, to the recognition that vision plays a critical role.