Understanding Child Development

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Spaces in our environment have psychological as well as physical features.

The concepts of prospect and refuge help to explain the attractiveness of both natural and built environments.

Fond memories of childhood spaces can be traced to our love of the 'right' psychological qualities.

Please engage in a brief exercise: Try to recall a place that was important to you as a child. It can be any place—a favorite place to play, a hiding place, or maybe even a place that you were not supposed to enter. It can be indoor or outdoor. Close your eyes as you think about this special place, and see if you can revisit the sounds, sights, and smells that it conjures for you. Please pay special attention to the feelings that this place inspired in you as a child.

If you are like most people, you will find that your favorite place has several predictable “psychological” features.

Evolution Has Shaped Our Preferences for Places

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