Previous research suggests that curved vs. angular interior environments trigger affective (e.g., preference) and behavioural (e.g., approach-avoidance) responses. Yet, behavioural responses have mainly been assessed through explicit evaluations, such as self-reports. We aimed to investigate this phenomenon more ‘implicitly’ using a battery of reaction time (RT) paradigms, particularly focusing on approach-avoidance tendencies.

Online participants (initial N = 219) undertook four randomized tasks involving 20 photo-realistic living room images matched for contours (angular vs. curved) and styles (modern vs. classic). We intended to capture attentional (Dot Probe Task [DPT]), motoric (Approach Avoidance Task [AAT]), as well as associative-semantic (Implicit Association Task [IAT]) and -motoric (Stimulus Response Compatibility Task [SRCT]) biases towards contours.

The DPT and AAT showed no significant effects. However, we observed a significant congruency effect in the IAT (F(1,192) = 97.51, p < .001, ƞ² = 0.074), whereby images were assigned faster into categories when those were curved-approach and angular-avoid (instead of curved-avoid, angular-approach). Additionally, we found a significant direction x contour interaction (F(1,179) = 7.08, p = .009, ƞ² = 0.004) in the SRCT, attributable to within-curvature differences (faster approach compared to avoidance). Moreover, within-directions comparisons revealed a faster avoidance of angular than curved conditions.

Our findings confirmed an effect of contours on approach-avoidance tendencies using RT paradigms. We identified semantic associations between curvature and approach and angularity and avoidance behaviour. Furthermore, we demonstrated differential approach (faster) – avoidance (slower) representations in relation to curvature rather than an avoidance of angularity. These findings may hint towards (partially) automatic responses to contours in interior design, which in addition to self-reports, should be further researched concerning criterion validity, such as in correlation with physiological and psychological reactions to built spaces.

先前的研究表明，弯曲的内部环境与有角度的内部环境会触发情感（例如偏好）和行为（例如回避接近）反应。然而，行为反应主要是通过明确的评估来评估的，例如自我报告。我们的目的是使用一系列反应时间（RT）范式更“隐式”地研究这种现象，特别关注回避倾向。

在线参与者（初始 N = 219）承担了四项随机任务，涉及 20 张逼真的客厅图像，这些图像与轮廓（角度与弯曲）和风格（现代与经典）相匹配。我们打算捕获注意力（点探测任务 [DPT]）、运动（避免接近任务 [AAT]）以及关联语义（内隐关联任务 [IAT]）和运动（刺激反应兼容性任务 [SRCT]）偏向轮廓。

DPT和AAT没有显示出显着的影响。然而，我们观察到 IAT 中存在显着的一致性效应（F (1,192) = 97.51，p  < .001，ƞ ²  = 0.074），因此当图像是弯曲接近和角度避免（而不是弯曲避免，角度接近）。 此外，我们在 SRCT 中发现了显着的方向 x 轮廓交互作用（F (1,179) = 7.08，p  = .009，ƞ ^{2 = 0.004），归因于曲率内差异（与回避相比，接近速度更快）。}此外，方向内比较表明，与弯曲条件相比，可以更快地避免角度条件。

我们的研究结果证实了使用 RT 范式时轮廓对接近回避倾向的影响。我们确定了曲率和接近以及角度和回避行为之间的语义关联。此外，我们演示了与曲率相关的差分方法（更快）-避免（更慢）表示，而不是避免角度。这些发现可能暗示了室内设计中对轮廓的（部分）自动反应，除了自我报告之外，还应该进一步研究标准有效性，例如与对建筑空间的生理和心理反应的相关性。