Revisiting the Compatibility Concept in Restorative Environments: A Research Dialogue

Abstract

The compatibility concept in restorative environments refers to the good fit between an environment and an individual’s goals and aspirations (Kaplan 1983). It is one of four psychological properties of the environment theoretically linked with psychological restoration which, together with the properties of ‘soft fascination’, ‘extent’ and ‘being away’, is believed to support the recovery of drained emotional and cognitive resources (Kaplan and Kaplan 1989). But compatibility is an underdeveloped and somewhat misunderstood concept in psychological restoration. The original Kaplans’ model gave significantly more prominence to compatibility in the role of psychological restoration than the subsequent research has recognized. This paper discusses the compatibility concept as it was first envisaged within the original attention restoration (ART) model, that is, in terms of environmental supportiveness. Next it discusses how this framework has been subsequently developed by a handful of researchers using goal-based theoretical frameworks. It sets out the empirical evidence showing how compatibility and goal-thinking are important to psychological restoration and suggests why research has been slow to develop this theme. Finally, it sets out some new emergent theories that put goal systems at the forefront of restorative environment research going forwards.