Spatial Perception in Architectural Transitions: A psychometric study of the Compression-Expansion effect in ceiling-height

We constantly move between rooms, transitioning between spaces with different spatial features. When entering a high-ceilinged space through a lower one, we experience the compression-expansion effect, a well-established architectural principle long used to amplify perceived spaciousness. Despite its prominence in architectural theory and practice, the underlying perceptual psychometrics remain poorly understood. Here we identify and specify the psychometric function governing how sequential changes in ceiling height shape spatial perception. Using immersive virtual reality with freely moving participants, we manipulated room-height ratios and asked participants to adjust perceived room height following exposure to a preceding space. Perception followed a nonlinear sigmoid function rather than geometric scaling, revealing a marked asymmetry: height reductions were perceptually undershot by 33.45% (ratio 0.8), and equivalent increases were overshot by 12.11% (ratio 1.2). These dynamics align with predictive accounts of perception and parallel serial dependence effects in vision, indicating that architectural experience is temporally extended and shaped by prior spatial context. We provide the first quantitative characterization of the compression–expansion effect, transforming a long-standing design principle into an evidence-based model with implications for human experience, material efficiency, and sustainable architectural practice.