In the evolving landscape of urban design and residential preferences, a groundbreaking study published in Nature Cities challenges traditional notions about how people select their neighborhoods. Researchers M. Galleguillos-Torres and A. Grêt-Regamey reveal that immediate emotional responses to environmental stimuli significantly outweigh deliberate cognitive evaluations in shaping urban neighborhood preferences. This paradigm-shifting insight opens new avenues for urban planners and policymakers, emphasizing the power of subconscious affective processes in determining where people choose to live.
The urban environment is a complex sensory tapestry, comprising visual, auditory, olfactory, and tactile elements that collectively contribute to the human experience of place. Historically, studies examining residential choice have focused largely on rational deliberations: proximity to amenities, economic factors, social demographics, and infrastructural considerations. However, this new research pivots the focus toward the affective domain—specifically, how quick, emotion-driven reactions to sensory stimuli override slower, analytical decision-making when residents evaluate urban neighborhoods.
Galleguillos-Torres and Grêt-Regamey employed a multifaceted methodology to dissect the psychological mechanisms underpinning neighborhood preferences. Leveraging immersive virtual reality simulations integrated with physiological monitoring, participants were exposed to diverse urban scenarios ranging from densely populated commercial districts to tranquil residential enclaves. This approach enabled the capture of both subjective emotional responses and objective biometrics such as heart rate variability and galvanic skin response, revealing profound correlations between emotional arousal and stated preferences.
The data unveil an intriguing dynamic: while individuals can articulate conscious reasons for their choices, such as accessibility or safety, their immediate emotional reactions—elicited by sensory stimuli like natural light, sounds of nature, and spatial enclosure—exert a stronger and more consistent influence on their preferences. For example, neighborhoods with abundant greenery and soft natural sounds consistently evoked more positive emotional responses, which translated into stronger desirability rankings, overriding otherwise negative cognitive appraisals related to distance or perceived economic status.
This discovery has significant implications for the practice of urban planning, a discipline historically grounded in rational frameworks that prioritize functionality and demographic data. Incorporating affective, stimulus-driven design principles could revolutionize urban development by prioritizing elements that subconsciously elevate residents’ sense of well-being and attachment to place. Elements such as nuanced lighting schemes, biophilic design elements, and acoustic environment optimization could become central to planning strategies aimed at fostering vibrant and preferred communities.
Moreover, the research nuances the role of cognitive evaluations by showing that these deliberations, though important, function more as post-hoc justifications rather than primary drivers of neighborhood choice. This suggests a dual-process model where fast, emotion-led judgments shape initial impressions and preferences, which are then rationalized through slower, conscious thought processes. The findings underscore the need to rethink the interplay between affect and cognition in environmental psychology and urban studies.
The technical backbone of the study is notable for its integration of neurophysiological measures with experimental behavioral methods. By capturing real-time biometric signals in controlled experimental settings, the researchers could map affective states with unparalleled precision. Their use of immersive virtual reality environments allowed manipulation of specific urban stimuli while maintaining ecological validity — a critical advancement over prior surveys and questionnaires that rely on retrospective or imagined evaluations.
In addition to revealing the primacy of affective stimuli, the study sheds light on the specific sensory modalities that most powerfully influence emotional responses. Visual complexity, natural elements such as trees and water features, and acoustic environments characterized by low noise pollution emerged as key factors eliciting positive emotions. These insights validate and deepen existing theories in environmental psychology about the restorative effects of nature and the psychological cost of urban noise, now framed in the concrete context of neighborhood preference formation.
Notably, the research addresses variations in individual susceptibility to emotional stimuli, highlighting demographic and psychological factors that modulate these effects. Age, cultural background, prior urban exposure, and personality traits influenced the strength and valence of affective responses, suggesting that stimulus-driven preferences are not uniform but shaped by complex interactions between environment and individual context. This dimension offers fertile ground for personalized urban design interventions tailored to diverse population segments.
The findings also invite reflection on socio-spatial equity. If emotional responses to environmental stimuli drive neighborhood preferences, then disparities in environmental quality may perpetuate cycles of segregation and uneven access to quality urban spaces. Ensuring equitable distribution of sensory-positive urban elements could become a pivotal strategy for fostering inclusive urban environments where emotional well-being is prioritized alongside traditional socioeconomic metrics.
From a policy perspective, this research advocates for expanded metrics in urban development evaluation. Beyond conventional indicators such as density, land use mix, and transit accessibility, a new suite of affective indices—capturing residents’ emotional engagement with their environments—could provide more holistic assessments of urban livability. Integrating affective data into planning processes may not only enhance residential satisfaction but also promote mental health outcomes by aligning urban stimuli with human psychological needs.
Future research building on these findings could explore temporal dynamics of stimulus-driven emotions, investigating how emotional responses to neighborhood features evolve over prolonged exposure rather than initial visits. Longitudinal studies may reveal habituation effects or the development of emotional attachments, deepening understanding of place identity formation and long-term residential satisfaction.
Additionally, advancements in wearable sensor technologies and smart city infrastructures present exciting opportunities to collect affective data at scale in real-world settings. Continuous monitoring of physiological markers in urban residents could inform adaptive urban management strategies, tuning environmental stimuli in real time to optimize emotional well-being and community cohesion.
The interdisciplinary nature of this research—at the intersection of urban planning, environmental psychology, neuroscience, and data science—exemplifies the kind of integrative scholarship necessary to tackle complex human-environment interactions in the 21st century. By bridging experiential and quantitative approaches, Galleguillos-Torres and Grêt-Regamey chart an innovative path forward for creating urban spaces that resonate deeply with human emotional architecture.
As cities worldwide grapple with rapid urbanization, climate change, and social fragmentation, understanding the affective undercurrents of neighborhood preference becomes increasingly vital. Designing urban environments that align with our innate sensorial and emotional proclivities promises not only to enhance residential choices but also to foster urban resilience, social integration, and sustainable development.
This study’s revelation—that emotion-led stimulus processing can overpower rational cognitive evaluations—challenges entrenched assumptions and opens up a new discourse on how humans interact with their built environment. The implications ripple beyond academic theory, urging designers, planners, and policymakers to harness emotional intelligence in shaping the future of our cities, transforming urban neighborhoods from mere functional locales into deeply resonant, affectively nurturing habitats.
Subject of Research: Emotional and cognitive processes influencing urban neighborhood preferences
Article Title: Stimuli-directed emotions overrule cognitive evaluations in urban neighborhood preferences
Article References:
Galleguillos-Torres, M., Grêt-Regamey, A. Stimuli-directed emotions overrule cognitive evaluations in urban neighborhood preferences. Nat Cities 2, 447–459 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44284-025-00232-y
Image Credits: AI Generated
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s44284-025-00232-y
Tags: affective responses in residential choicecognitive versus emotional decision-makingemotions in urban designenvironmental influences on living preferencesimmersive virtual reality in urban studiesimpact of emotions on urban livingneighborhood choice research methodologiespsychological mechanisms of neighborhood selectionsensory stimuli in city livingsubconscious factors in housing decisionsurban neighborhood preferencesurban planning and emotional well-being
