We investigated to what extent simulated darkness determines the affective appraisal of desktop virtual environments (VEs). Computer simulations have become indispensable tools to communicate design and planning impacts and to investigate human perception of built environments (e.g. TAHRANI & MOREAU 2008). Desktop VEs are also increasingly deployed to study the effects of environmental qualities and interventions on human behaviour and feelings of safety in built environments (COZENS et al. 2003, PARK et al. 2008, PARK et al. 2010). The effectiveness of desktop VEs for these applications depends critically on their ability to correctly address the user's emotional, cognitive and perceptual experience. In the real world ambient darkness elicits fear of victimization (BOX et al. 1988) by concealing potential dangers (BLOBAUM & HUNECKE 2005, GRAY 1987, NASAR & JONES 1997, WARR 1990). Darkness may turn places that are pleasant during daylight into frightening places after dark (HANYU 1997, NASAR & JONES 1997). The innate fear for darkness which most people have also extrapolates to immersive virtual environments (MUHLBERGER et al. 2007). Although commercial desktop games sometimes deploy low-key lighting to evoke suspense and dread (NIEDENTHAL 2005), it is not yet known if darkness in desktop VEs can also effectively induce fear related emotional responses, and determine the affective appraisal of the VE.
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