Does environmental attention differ during walking, jogging, and cycling in greenways? Evidence from eye movement responses to videos

TL;DR

This study explores how attention to the environment differs when people walk, jog, or cycle in greenways, using eye movement data to understand how different activities affect focus on natural elements.

Contribution

The study introduces new insights into how different physical activities in greenways influence environmental attention and cognitive responses.

Findings

Vegetation received the most attention across all activities, with more fixations and longer fixation durations.

Joggers showed more concentrated attention with lower blink rates and longer fixations on roads compared to walkers and cyclists.

Cyclists were more attracted to distant views and open water bodies, with higher fixation rates on water.

Abstract

Greenways accommodate various path-based physical activities (PPAs). This study aimed to examine the similarities and disparities in environmental attention and cognitive responses during different greenway PPAs.

The eye movements of 26 participants were recorded while watching a greenway video during walking, jogging, and cycling in counterbalanced sequences.

The results of the Kruskal–Wallis test indicate that (1) in terms of similarities, vegetation received the most attention with a higher number of fixations (rNF) and a greater total fixation duration (rTDF) compared to other areas of interest (AOIs). However, roads demanded more cognitive activities for spatial orientation as indicated by the longest average fixation duration (rAFD). (2) Regarding disparities, walkers showed a greater fascination with vegetation, displaying a higher rTDF than joggers and cyclists and a longer relative first fixation duration (rDFF) compared to other AOIs. Joggers demonstrated more concentrated attention with the lowest average blink rate (AB), producing a heatmap dominated by longer fixations, and they experienced a higher rAFD than walkers and cyclists on roads. Cyclists were more strongly attracted toward distant views, as evidenced by their flattened-shaped heatmap, and open water bodies drew their attention as their rNF on water exceeded that observed in other PPAs.

Therefore, clear and varied vegetation landscapes, distinct and noticeable roads, and open water surfaces offering distant views can better hold the attention of different PPA exercisers and minimize their mental fatigue. The research contributes to enhancing the role of greenways in promoting physical activity and fostering psychological wellbeing through activity-adapted environmental interactions.

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