Democratizing Urban Well-Being: A Virtual Reality and Eye-Tracking Analysis of Biophilic Interventions Across Socioeconomic Contexts

In this pilot study, we investigate the psychological and attentional impact of biophilic urban interventions using an immersive virtual reality (VR) framework integrated with real-time eye-tracking. Specifically, it examines whether bio-esthetic enhancements can mitigate perceptual inequalities across neighborhoods of varying socioeconomic status (SES). Sixteen participants viewed original and digitally enhanced fixed-viewpoint 360° videos of Low-, Medium-, and High-SES environments while a comprehensive suite of oculomotor dynamics and psychometric responses were recorded. Results confirmed a significant Condition × SES interaction across both subjective preference (Liking) and esthetic evaluation (η2p = 0.41), suggesting a role for biophilic design as a “socio-perceptual equalizer”: while baseline ratings consistently favored High-SES areas, interventions in Low-SES contexts yielded the highest marginal gains, effectively bridging the gap with privileged environments. Eye-tracking metrics revealed that this convergence was associated with active visual engagement, with Enhanced Low-SES scenes eliciting the highest fixation counts and visual coverage. However, a critical dissociation emerged between immediate affective improvement and self-reported stress reduction. Elevated saccadic velocities in Enhanced Low-SES scenes are consistent with a state of “hard fascination” or novelty-induced arousal. This pattern implies that while biophilia elements boost positive affect, physiological restoration may be a dose-dependent process, requiring sufficient exposure duration to transition from curiosity-driven scanning to the “soft fascination” linked to stress recovery. These findings provide preliminary evidence for integrated XR analytics as a tool for evidence-based urban design and are discussed in the context of the equigenesis hypothesis.