Psychological Value of Space Reading Answers

Feb 9, 2023

Psychological Value of Space Reading Answers has 13 questions that are to be answered in 40 minutes. IELTS topic-Psychological Value of Space Reading Answers deals with how environment and psychology. Psychological Value of Space IELTS reading question type has one kind of question. That is choosing the correct answer. Candidates need to skim through the passage for the best answer. Psychological Value of Space Reading Answers help students to prepare for IELTS exams.They can also refer to IELTS Reading practice papers.

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Section 1

Read the Passage to Answer the Following Questions

Psychological Value of Space Reading Answers

What would a building space look and feel like if it were designed to promote psychological and social well-being? How would it affect the senses, the emotions, and the mind? How would it affect behavioral patterns? For insights, it is useful to look not at buildings but at zoos. Zoo design has gone through a radical transformation in the past several decades. Cages have been replaced by natural habitats and geographic clustering of animals. In some places, the animals are free ranging and the visitors are enclosed in buses or trains moving through the habitat. Animals now exist in mixed species exhibits more like their natural landscapes. And, as in nature, the animals have much greater control over their behavior. They can be on view if they want, or out of sight. They forage, play, rest, mate and act like normal animals.
What brought about this transformation in philosophy and design? A key factor was concern over the animals’ psychological and social well-being. Zoos could keep animals alive but they couldn’t make them flourish. Caged animals often exhibit neurotic behaviors – pacing, repetitive motions, aggression, and withdrawal. In one more example, an animal psychologist was hired by the Central Park Zoo to study a polar bear that spent the day swimming in an endless figure of eights in its small pool. This was not normal polar bear behavior and the zoo was concerned about it. After several days of observation, the animal psychologist offered a diagnosis. The bear was bored. To compensate for this unfortunate situation, the zoo added amenities and toys to bear’s enclosure to encourage exploration and play.
Are there lessons that we can apply To build design? Some experts believe so. For example biologist Stephen Boyden (1971) defines the optimum healthy environment as ‘the conditions which tend, promote or permit an animal optimal psychological, mental and social performance in its natural or “evolutionary” environment. Because humans evolved in a natural landscape, it is reasonable to turn to the natural environment for clues about performance patterns that may be applicable to building design. Drawing on habitat selection theory ecologist Gordon Orians argues that humans are psychologically adapted to and prefer landscape features that characterized the African plains or savannah, the presumed site of human evolution. Although humans now live in many different habitats, Orians argues that our species long history as mobile hunters or gatherers on the African savannahs should have left its mark on our psyche. If the ‘savannah hypothesis’ is true we would expect to find that humans intrinsically like and find pleasurable environments that contain the key features of the savannah most likely to have aided our ancestors’ survival and well being.
Although Boyden distinguishes between survival and well-being needs, they often overlap. For example, people clearly need food for survival and health. However, food often serves as the basis for bonding and relationship development. The ritual of sitting around a fire on the savannah or In a cave telling stories of the day’s events and planning for tomorrow may be an ancient carryover from Homo sapiens’ hunting and gathering days. According to anthropologist Melvin Konner, the sense of safety and intimacy associated with the campfire may have been a factor in the evolution of intellectual progression as well as social bonds. Today’s hearth is the family kitchen at home, and the community places, such as cafes and coffee bars, where people increasingly congregate to eat, talk, read and work.
A growing body of research shows that building environments that connect people to nature are more supportive of human emotional well being and cognitive performance than environments lacking these features. For instance, research by Roger Ulrich consistently shows that passive viewing of nature through windows promotes positive moods. Similarly, research by Rachel Kaplan found that workers with window views of trees had a more positive outlook on life than those doing similar work but whose windows looked out onto a parking lot. Connection to nature also provides mini mental breaks that may aid the ability to concentrate, according to a research by Stephen Kaplan. Terry Hartig and colleagues report similar results in a field experiment. People in their study who went for a walk in a predominantly natural setting achieved better on several office tasks requiring concentration than those who walked in a predominantly built setting or who quietly read a magazine indoors.
Studies of outdoor landscapes are providing evidence that the effects of nature on human well being and health extend beyond emotional and cognitive functioning to social behavior and crime reduction. For instance, Francis Kuo found that outdoor nature buffers aggression in urban high-rise settings and enhances the ability to deal with demanding circumstances. He also reported that planting trees in urban areas increases sociability by providing comfortable places for residents to talk with one another and develop friendships that promote mutual support.
A natural perspective also contributes important insights into comfort maintenance. Because people differ from one another in many ways (genetic, cultures, lifestyles) their ambient preferences vary. Furthermore, a given person varies over time depending upon his or her state of health, activities, clothing levels and so forth. For most of human history, people have actively managed their surroundings as well as their behaviors to achieve comfort. Yet buildings continue to be designed with a ‘one size fits all’ approach. Very few buildings or workstations enable occupants to control lighting, temperature, ventilation rates or noise conditions. Although the technology is largely available to do this, the personal comfort systems have not sold well in the marketplace, even though research by Walter Kroner and colleagues at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute shows that personal control leads to significant increases in comfort and morale.

Section 2

Solution and Explanation

Questions 14-20

Reading Passage 2 has seven paragraphs, A – G.

Choose the correct heading for each paragraph from the list of headings below. Write the correct number i-x in boxes 14 -20 on your answer sheet.

List of Headings

The influence of the seasons on productivity
A natural way to anger management
Natural building materials promote health
Learning from experience in another field
Stimulating the brain through internal design features
Current effects on the species of ancient experiences
Uniformity is not the answer
The negative effects of restricted spaces
Improving occupational performance
The modern continuation of ancient customs

Paragraph A

Answer: iv Learning from experience in another field
Supporting Sentence: For insights, it is useful to look not at buildings, but at zoos
Keywords: insights, it is useful, but at zoos
Keyword Location: Paragraph A, lines 3-4
Explanation: The sentences in paragraph A make it abundantly clear that we can draw key findings from studying animal behaviour in zoos and how environment and ambiance impact living conditions. The answer is therefore iv.

Paragraph B

Answer: viii The negative effects of restricted spaces
Supporting Sentence: Caged animals often exhibit neurotic behaviors—pacing, repetitive motions, aggression, and withdrawal.
Keywords: Caged animals, exhibit, neurotic behaviors
Keyword Location: Paragraph B, lines 3-4
Explanation: The example in paragraph B shows how a confined environment can negatively impact a living thing's psychology and behaviour. Here, the bear's predicament and the erratic behaviour displayed by it are illustrated to explain the impact of constraint and restriction. The answer is therefore viii.

Paragraph C

Answer: vi Current effects on the species of ancient experiences
Supporting Sentence: Because humans evolved in a natural landscape, it is reasonable to turn to the natural environment for clue
Keywords: humans evolved, natural landscape
Keyword Location: Paragraph C, lines 4-6
Explanation: The idea of belonging to nature has been effectively illustrated in paragraph C. It implies that organisms don't get rid of their old routines and preferences during the process of evolution. As a result, humans have a preference for the environment that predominated during a previous stage of evolution. As a result, the impact of ancient experiences continues to influence current species of organisms. So, vi is the correct answer.

Paragraph D

Answer: x The modern continuation of ancient customs
Supporting Sentence: may be an ancient carryover from Homo sapiens’ hunting and gathering days.
Keywords: ancient carryover, Homo sapiens’
Keyword Location: Paragraph D, line 5
Explanation: The lines in paragraph D make it abundantly clear that modern variations of old traditions, like campfires and bonfires, still exist. The current trends are somewhat relevant to the historical circumstances. What was once a necessity has been replaced with customs and rituals. So, x is the correct response.

Paragraph E

Answer: ix Improving occupational performance
Supporting Sentence: more supportive of human emotional well-being and cognitive performance
Keywords: well-being, cognitive performance
Keyword Location: Paragraph E, lines 2-3
Explanation: The insights in paragraph E imply that people's mental abilities are enhanced by nature's calming effects and that nature can inspire our creativity, enhancing our productivity at work. So, ix is the correct answer.

Paragraph F

Answer: ii A natural way to anger management
Supporting Sentence: outdoor nature buffers aggression in urban high- rise settings and enhances ability to deal with demanding circumstances
Keywords: outdoor nature, buffers aggression
Keyword Location: Paragraph F, lines 3-4
Explanation: According to paragraph F, one's riled resentment and feelings of anger, stress, and irritability can be soothed by nature. So, ii is the correct answer.

Paragraph G

Answer: vii Uniformity is not the answer
Supporting Sentence: a given person varies over time depending upon his or her state of health, activities, clothing levels, and so forth
Keywords: given person varies, over time
Keyword Location: Paragraph G, lines 3-4
Explanation: The last sentence makes it abundantly clear that people's preferences are highly subjective and not universal. As a result, the way a specific room design or structure works for one person may not necessarily
work for another. Because uniformity is ineffective in these situations, the correct answer is vii.

Questions 21-26

Look at the following people (Questions 21 – 26) and the list of theories below.

Match each person with the correct theory, A —I. Write the correct letter A-1 in boxes 21 -26 on your answer sheet.

List of Theories

Creating a green area can stimulate a sense of community.
People need adequate living space in order to be healthy.
Natural landscape can both relax and sharpen the mind.
Cooking together is an important element in human bonding.
People feel more at ease if they can adjust their environment.
Looking at a green environment improves people’s spirits.
Physical exercise improves creative thinking at work.
Man’s brain developed partly through regular association with peers.
We are drawn to places similar to the area where our species originated.

Gordon Orians

Answer: I We are drawn to places similar to the area where our species originated.
Supporting Sentence: Gordon Orians argues that humans are psychologically adapted to and prefer landscape features that characterized the African plain or savannah, the presumed site of human evolution
Keywords: Gordon Orians, humans, psychologically adapted, prefer landscape, presumed site, human evolution
Keyword Location: Paragraph C, lines 7-9
Explanation: It is evident from paragraph C that Gordon Orions intended to imply how our ancestry and roots may have an impact on the way we behave today. He emphasised how drawn humans were to the natural surroundings that prevailed in prehistoric times, the period from which we descended. So, I is the correct answer.

Melvin Konner

Answer: H Man’s brain developed partly through regular association with peers.
Supporting Sentence: have been a factor in the evolution of intellectual progression as well as social bonds
Keywords: intellectual progression
Keyword Location: Paragraph D, line 8
Explanation: It is abundantly clear from Melvin Konner statement that socialisation, bonding, and communication with others have had a significant impact on how intelligently humans have progressed over time. The solution is therefore H.

Roger Ulrich

Answer: F Looking at a green environment improves people’s spirits.
Supporting Sentence: research by Roger Ulrich consistently shows that passive viewing of nature through windows promotes positive moods
Keywords: passive viewing of nature, promotes positive moods
Keyword Location: Paragraph E, lines 3-5
Explanation: According to Roger Ulrich's research, being in nature improves one's disposition and contributes to one's general mental development. The answer is therefore F.

Stephen Kaplan

Answer: C Natural landscape can both relax and sharpen the mind.
Supporting Sentence: Connection to nature also provides mini mental breaks that may aid the ability to concentrate, according to research by Stephen Kaplan
Keywords: Connection to nature, mini mental breaks, aid the ability, concentrate
Keyword Location: Paragraph E, lines 8-10
Explanation: According to Stephen Kaplan's research, being in nature can stimulate people's intellect, and short mental breaks from our jobs to enjoy the outdoors can have a positive impact on our personalities. So, C is the correct answer.

Francis Kuo

Answer: A Creating a green area can stimulate a sense of community.
Supporting Sentence: Francis Kuo found that outdoor nature buffers aggression in urban high- rise settings
Keywords: outdoor nature, buffers aggression
Keyword Location: Paragraph F, lines 3-4
Explanation: According to Francis Kuo, establishing green spaces in urban or suburban areas not only improves peoples' moods and sense of well-being, but also fosters a sense of belonging and harmony among them. The answer is therefore A.

Walter Kroner

Answer: E People feel more at ease if they can adjust their environment.
Supporting Sentence: personal control leads to significant increases in comfort and morale
Keywords: personal control, increases in comfort
Keyword Location: Paragraph G, last two lines
Explanation: Walter Kroner's research explains the benefits and effects of having control over our environment. We can relax more easily when we have the ability to customize our environment. The solution is therefore E.

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