Proposing a research framework for urban lighting: The alertness, arousal and anxiety triad

The impact of street lighting on the visual tasks of pedestrians is well known, as are studies that have explored the relationship between street lighting and pedestrians’ feelings of safety. But there are other, less investigated, possible effects of light in mesopic situations. Research on street lighting for pedestrians has traditionally focused on visual performance (e.g., obstacle detection, face recognition) and people’s appraisals of the outdoor environment after dark. But the influence of concepts such as alertness and attentiveness on pedestrians’ experience and performance is not yet well researched even though this too can play an important role in pedestrians’ attention and safety. To remedy this, we are offering first a clarification of the relevant constructs – alertness, arousal and anxiety – and proposing a new theoretical framework. Possible benefits of using this conceptual framework are illustrated with an analysis of conclusions from a study conducted by Burtt. We make a case for more research on mechanisms underlying pedestrians’ attention and safety. Implications for future research, in particular the need for validating this framework, are discussed.