Towards predicting wildness in the United Kingdom

• Bi-modal stimuli were used to assess how wild environments were perceived to be.
• Self-assessment Manikins were used to measure emotional responses to the stimuli.
• A unique dataset was used that enabled each stimulus to be presented in three experimental conditions.
• Objective measures allowed a Wildness Rating Prediction tool to be developed.
• The study showed wildness to be a more intellectual or cognitive construct than tranquillity.

This paper reports the findings of a study that presented bi-modal audio-visual stimuli (video footage), to experimental subjects under controlled conditions, in order to obtain reliable estimates of perceived wildness, naturalness, felt remoteness and tranquillity. The research extends beyond the literature and demonstrates that unlike tranquillity, wildness appears to be a more intellectual or cognitive construct. However, it does relate well to remoteness and naturalness and is reduced by the presence of mechanical noise. By using the approach previously employed for the development of a Tranquillity Rating Prediction Tool (TRAPT), it has been demonstrated that a similar methodology is also appropriate for wildness. WRAPT (Wildness Rating Prediction Tool) is the first attempt to predict wildness from physical variables, the values of which can be readily obtained from field surveys supplemented by detailed maps where large areas require assessment. The findings of this study will be of interest to those responsible for managing and marketing protected areas such as National Parks, practitioners involved in carrying out landscape character assessments, cartographers wishing to incorporate reliable acoustic data within their vector or raster based stacks and landscape architects involved in designing wild and tranquil spaces across a range of scales.