Results and analysis

The Questions - why did I ask them?

What do you think a safe space is?

I asked this question to get some feedback of what people think when they see the words safe space. I wanted to know what it meant to people to be in a safe space, whether they thought it was a state of mind, of mental health or if it were a physical space that they could exist inside. The answer to this would influence my research and intentions. If I want to help people find their safe spaces and regulate their anxieties and stresses, I need to know this for future design intentions and research avenues.

From my initial research into safe spaces , I came to the realisation that to feel safe and comfortable, all stimulation inputs need to be regulated together, as our physical environment has such a great impact on our thoughts and feelings. Therefore, I started to look into our senses and the stimulation of them; how stimulation of each sense affects us. So in my survey, I asked people about their ideal safe space, and I wanted to know the specific things that helped them for each of their senses.

What does that safe space look like?

How the environment looks or where it is matters. I needed to know the different specific locations that people decided to go to when feeling anxieties and stress, so I could build up my understanding of peoples needs. I expected that this would be different for everyone and completely dependent on personal preference as from my research into stimulation, I learnt that sight can help to relax us when we look at something that can act as a distraction or is mentally stimulating or interesting to us.

What does it sound like?

Sound is a major factor in regulating our emotions, especially in situations where we may feel sensory overload. In my research I looked into how soothing, soft or familiar music can have an effect on physiological functions as the pulse and heart rate are slowed down. Blood pressure can also be decreased along with stress hormones when listening to music.

I wanted to know what sources of sound people used in their safe spaces and whether there was a strong specific preference.

What does it smell and taste like?

Admittedly, I had to put these two senses together because I had a limit to how many questions I could include on my chosen online survey software. But I am aware that it will be difficult to include smell and taste in my later research, designing mechanics and prototypes so I do not think it was a loss.

This question was important to see what scents and tastes bring people comfort. Aromatherapy is proven to be very successful technique for people dealing with various mental illnesses. Furthermore, scents that we have become familiar with and associate with a person, place or memory can also affect our mood.

What does it feel like?