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Identification of Urban Stress Measurement Methods

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Stress Relief Urban Planning

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Abstract

In this chapter, first, stress and urban stress measurement methods are introduced generally, and then the studies on urban stress are reviewed. Finally, the methods used in these studies are summarized to select the best urban stress measurement method.

It is still difficult to measure stress objectively. Many existing tools used for measuring psychological distress, due to clinical reasons, focus on general health outcomes, depression, or anxiety (Vojnovic et al., Handbook of global urban health, 1st ed, Routledge, 269, 2019). To measure stress, it is required to consider its type, extent, intensity, duration, onset, and frequency (Cappon, CMA J 16(8):9, 1977). Therefore, relevant physiological signals such as heart rate variability (HRV), galvanic skin response (GSR), skin temperature (ST), electroencephalogram (EEG), electrocardiogram (ECG), blood volume pulse (BVP), are considered reliable stress indicators (Kyriakou and Resch, Adv Cartogr GIScience Int Cartogr Assoc 2:1, 2019).

To measure urban stress, it is required to assess urban spaces. Even today, the advantages of biosensors, including the absence of bias, the possibility of continuous measurement with high time resolution, reducing the burden on the participants, the possibility of collecting extensive longitudinal data, and higher ecological validity than experimental studies, make these sensors the basis of stress measurement approaches in urban areas. Of course, there are numerous approaches to detect stress through physiological sensors.

It is effective to use a combination of all methods in the field of urban stress and their combination is the best option. In fact, the best urban stress measurement method is to combine the following methods: equipping places or subjects with devices such as biosensing, using applications with the capability of georeferencing data, using personal opinions of people, and interviewing people suffering from stress and mental illnesses.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    It refers to changes in the time intervals between consecutive heartbeats, which are also called interbeat intervals (IBIs). Lower levels of HRV are associated with emotions such as anger, anxiety, fear, and psychological stress, and higher levels of HRV are associated with relaxation [3].

  2. 2.

    It is also called electrodermal activity (EDA). It refers to the variation in the electrical properties of the skin. When a person is stimulated, the sympathetic nervous system intensify sweating, which in turn increases the conductance of the skin. So, higher levels of EDA are associated with psychological stress [3].

  3. 3.

    It is also called galvanic skin response. It refers to the variation in the electrical properties of the skin. When a person is stimulated, the sympathetic nervous system intensify sweating, which in turn increases the conductance of the skin. So, higher levels of EDA are associated with psychological stress [3].

  4. 4.

    It is a pictorial questionnaire that was developed to measure emotional responses such as pleasure, perceived arousal, and perceptions of dominance [7].

  5. 5.

    It relies on a smartphone app that randomly alerts the user at times determined by the assessor. Then, notifications are displayed on the mobile to notify the user to complete the assessment questions. This approach minimizes the problem of biases from the past, enables real-world investigation, and increases ecological validity [9].

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Architecture & Environmental Design, Iran University of Science & Technology (IUST), Tehran, Iran

    Samaneh Jalilisadrabad, Mostafa Behzadfar & Khatereh Moghani Rahimi

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Correspondence to Samaneh Jalilisadrabad .

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Jalilisadrabad, S., Behzadfar, M., Moghani Rahimi, K. (2023). Identification of Urban Stress Measurement Methods. In: Stress Relief Urban Planning. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-4202-2_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-4202-2_5

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