Building in familiarity

Humans usually like to be in places that seem familiar to them—but familiar does not mean exactly the same as spaces previously encountered, just consistent with those other places in important ways, areas where we spend time benefit often from being reminiscent of expected conditions.

When people are asked to give their impressions of pictures of residential spaces the ones that are preferred are those that are familiar, which are also seen as the most beautiful.

The same goes for more typical art, it’s what we prefer.

We also prefer furniture and patterns, say on wall treatments or flooring, that are more familiar.

Our culture influences what we find familiar.  Ways of using and designing spaces and the objects in them vary from one part of the world to another.

Being preferred is a plus because when we encounter preferred conditions our mood improves, which is great for our ability to solve mental problems, to think creatively, and to get along with others, for example.

Specific familiarity-related research shows that:

• We seem to prefer the familiar because it often seems safe.
• We’re more adventurous, and prefer familiar stuff slightly less when we’re in a positive mood (we’re a little more adventurous then) than when our mood is negative.  So, when we’re likely to be happy because we’re at a wedding, familiar design is not as important as when we’re probably going to be unhappy, say when we’re at a funeral.  Similar research has shown that we’re feeling safe and self-sufficient the unfamiliar (say novel aesthetics) becomes slightly more appealing and when we feel vulnerable and dependent we are particularly drawn to the familiar (in aesthetics, etc.).
• When we’re under stress, we are especially likely to prefer familiar options, even when our experiences with those familiar conditions are not entirely positive (this is why we may return to a particular seat in an office even if we have been distracted there by colleagues talking in the past).  When we’re not stressed, we’re likely to ignore these places with negative links.
•  In any service environment, such as a restaurant, when what will be provided is more utilitarian or functional typical design is best but if emotion is more important, atypical design should prevail; a budget restaurant should use a more usual sort of décor while if a restaurant’s appeal is more emotional its design can be more “nonstandard.”
• When waiting rooms at doctors’ offices are very different from what’s expected in doctors’ offices, confidence in the healthcare provider drops.
• People who move frequently are likely to select a new house and neighbourhood that’re similar to their old house and neighbourhood, they’re familiar (and the house will also accommodate their existing furniture).
• As reported in this article design that’s familiar to designers may not be familiar to non-designers, resulting in differences in preference and, potentially some very heated and animated discussions.
• Our stated preferences for familiar or unfamiliar things do not necessarily align with the choices we actually make.  When asked, for example, we’re more likely to say we prefer to listen to unfamiliar music, but actually listen to familiar tunes, even though we’ve said we like something else more.

Nostalgia and familiarity seem like cousins and there are particular benefits to thinking nostalgically; design can make nostalgic experiences more or less likely.  For example, scents can lead to nostalgic thinking and so can memory-evoking images.

• In a nostalgic mood we’re likely to be in a better mood, feeling greater self-esteem, stronger connections to other people, and optimistic as well as that our lives were more meaningful.
• When we’re nostalgic, we’re apt to think more creatively.
• We’re likely to spend more money when feeling nostalgic.
• When we are feeling nostalgic, temperatures seem warmer.
• Nostalgia can counteract feeling lonely.
• When we think about a nostalgic event we share with other people, we think more positively about those other people, we are more likely to actively support them.