Autistic people’s perception of interior electric lighting systems: An initial study

This mixed-methods research used participatory photography with an online questionnaire to collect data on autistic people’s response to lighting systems in the everyday built environment. It was designed to be accessible to autistic participants and accommodate the needs of this autistic researcher. Four main themes were identified, opening opportunities for future lighting improvements to better meet the needs of the wider community: (1) lighting systems (layout, lamp shapes and types, number of lamps), (2) technical factors (flicker, noise, brightness, colour temperature), (3) reactions-to-lighting (both positive and negative) and (4) use of descriptive language. While the strong dislike of linear-grid lights was expected, the extent of the dislike towards lighting systems in Library/Community spaces and medical buildings, particularly waiting rooms, was concerning. As these are spaces likely to be used by autistic people, lighting improvements are urgently required. As a result of the direct participation, the rich data expand the understanding of autistic people’s perception of everyday indoor electric lighting systems. The research has identified avenues for future research to create more accessible indoor environments for autistic and neurotypical people, or in brief, all users.