Post 105 - by Gautam Shah
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Designers understand human behaviour in terms of Space and its
Environment, The human behaviour is reflected through the human Body
and the interpersonal relationships.
The human behaviour takes many forms. It is seen as conspicuous actions of
body-limb movements or postures, discreet expressions of body related
gestures, and also as overt expressions in modes like speaking, writings,
painting, etc. Some forms of human behaviour are less obvious because they
are only occasional and occur in small measures. Other forms of human
behaviour represented in communications are often not easily discerned.
Human behaviour causing biological changes may take generations to be
comprehensible.
Human behaviour is also conveyed through art, and spoken or
written language. The fear, pain, love, affection, joy,
wonderment, admiration, hatred, etc., are intense emotions,
that are expressed through art or language. Perhaps
physiological tools (body-limb movements and other body
language expressions) are too slow, inadequate for the
purpose, useless for the need, or unavailable (due to physical
disability, age, sex limitations, etc.). Expression on media is
much longer lasting, and so unlikely to be misinterpreted.
Human behaviour originates from the genetic make up and is further
conditioned by the experiences. Experiences enrich one with productive
efficiency. Appropriate behaviour allows a being to survive and proliferate,
whereas inappropriate behaviour gradually makes a being extinct.
Human behaviour is evident in responses related to Four elements: Body,
Environment, Space and the Occupants. A response is defined as: reflex
action-reaction, rebound, consequence, outcome or acknowledgement.
Responses, whether automatic or voluntary, instinctive or intentional, and
conscious or subconscious, show up in some form of change: the behaviour.
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Behavioural responses can be broadly categorized as:
1 BODY related responses
Responses of the body can be categorized as:
- Responses of the Functional systems such as a metabolism, neural
transmission, etc.,
- Responses resulting from Cognitive capacities that determine what we
perceive and so respond.
- Responses due to the ‘Reach’ abilities of the limbs, these determine what we can change in the immediate environment. Such responses are personal or individual, but because of the common genetic make-up there are some common features.
Body related responses are in the form of gestures and postures and how one
positions the body. Gestures are micro responses that may not be apparent
unless very keenly observed. Gestures are very economic and effective means
of expression. Gestures also constitute supplementary vocabulary for
communication. Postures are macro responses of the body. These postures
are chiefly tasks related, so are intentional. Though some of the involuntary
reflexes resulting from the body systems such as mental processes,
metabolism, equilibrium maintenance, body temperature and fluid controls,
etc. are both gestures and postures (macro and micro). Postures often need
the supplement like amenities and facilities for sustenance. Productive
efficiency is the key factor for posturing, and for that reason we accomplish
diverse tasks within a posture or conduct same tasks in different postures.
Positioning is used to place and orient appropriately own-self in a space. It is
often in anticipation of an event to develop, so the response seems impulsive,
but is calculative. There is an acknowledgement what that event would mean
personally. It is also defensive, offensive, declarative or confirming.
Positioning is micro, when body is re-postured, reoriented, or the ‘reach’ in
space is modified. However, at Macro level positioning, one becomes
dynamic and shifts the location. Repositioning is also achieved by changing
the means of expression and communication. Positioning makes use of space,
environmental and other occupants to establish paradigm behaviour. The
positioning behaviour is for occupation, possession, survival and proliferation.
2 ENVIRONMENT associated responses
Environment is the supportive system that moulds our perception and
commands the responses. Environment and cognition are coincident, and
one cannot be realized without the other. We handle the environment by
interpretation, evaluation, operation, and response. Environment is not
realized as one incident effect, but as it poses accumulated and ever evolving
repertory of responses. Environmental responses form a process of
becoming aware of a space. Environment formats a life style that passes on
from one generation to another as ethnicity or custom. Environment also
includes real presence of other occupants.
The environment is the surroundings or condition in which a person,
animal, or plant lives or operates, and experience objects. Some
aspects of environment have predictable periodicity (light, seasons,
etc.) whereas other are unpredictable (wind, rain, etc.). Environment
is ever evolving and the occupant or the users respond with different
levels or receptivity.
The environment is conditioned at many different levels. The first
conditioning of the environment is at a local level. Human body adopts
itself to the environment. Then clothing provides the cover. The natural
entities like trees, caves, valleys, gorges, etc. also provide the
containment. Built-spaces and the installed facilities regulate the
environment. At another level beliefs, feelings and experiences help
overcome the apprehensions, and thereby master the environment.
3 SPACE responses
Space is the setting where environment and cognition actualize concurrently.
Environment is continually variable, and so a space experience is ever
expounding. Space experience is one major factor that governs the nature
of cognition. As cognition is individual, it endows environment subjective
significance. The space has a unique relevance to the occupant. It continues
to reveal differently in spite of its scale or spatial features remaining
static. Some environmental conditions and spatial features often occur in
concert. And so we expect the presence of one to trigger the other. Space is
the setting where human behaviour responses show both consistency and
change. The space is the setting or realm of conditions in which a particular
activity is carried on.
Environment permeates into a space depending on the spatial characteristics,
such as the size, shape, sequencing, quality of barriers, etc. The changes in
environment affect the space as much as its inhabitants. An individual
perceives the environment and the characteristics of the space, collectively,
as a singular happening. This perception is further coloured by beliefs,
metaphors, and group behaviour dynamics. The accommodation of
environmental changes makes the process of inhabitation tougher, but always
equips one with better skills and greater efficiencies.
4 OCCUPANTS reactions
Occupants of a space are real, and sometimes through the metaphoric
presence. Behaviour responses occur due to both types of occupants. In this
sense co-occupants are part of the environment with whom we react and are
affected by their ‘presence’. A social acquaintanceship with anyone is not a
necessary condition to respond. Behaviour responses occur due to the
biological needs and also for cultural reasons or social norms. Our
responses with other beings and social interactions regulate what we share
and empathize. Responses with other occupants depend on the awareness
about sex, age, stature, need, social position, degree of familiarity, distance
and recognition (through cognition). Metaphoric presence of others is
reinforced primarily by the historical context (what we have been told or learnt)
and associations. Metaphoric presence is also enhanced by space and
objects, as well as by other occupants confirmative or even rejective
(empathetic, sympathetic or apathetic) behaviour.
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