Genetic Memory
What is a native place?
Is it the connection of one’s ancestral roots to a particular land, or the invisible attraction of genetic memory that draws us toward that place? Perhaps the feeling of “belonging” that we call a “sense of familiarity” is a manifestation of a “spatial code” passed down through our genes over generations.
Genetic heritage plays a major role in shaping human behavior and the rhythm of life. For example, some people are more energetic at night and do not want to get out of bed in the morning. They are often called “people who disrupt their biological clock,” but the roots of this characteristic are hidden in the experiences of ancient humans.
Our ancestors had to stay awake and keep watch at night to protect their families and tribes. This behavior was repeated over thousands of years and has left its mark in the genetic structure of some people today as “night-time wakefulness.” Therefore, the rhythm of our bodies and some of our behaviors are not only the result of habits, but also a product of genetic memory.
This connection can also be seen when choosing a space. For example, when choosing a seat in a room, we pay attention not only to comfort but also to how safe we feel. Although a large and comfortable armchair in the center of the room may seem more attractive, many of us choose a table positioned against the wall. This is because having our back protected gives us a sense of comfort. A genetic mechanism also lies behind this behavior: leaning our back against a solid surface is a natural instinct that ancient humans used to protect themselves from predators.
People are more inclined toward places where they can see their surroundings and keep them under control. Throughout history, elevated places, hills, castles, and towers have played an important role both in protecting against danger and in observing the surrounding area. This genetic memory still lives on in our behavior today.
For example, when choosing a place in a restaurant or café, we often head toward a table in the corner. We look for a position from which we can observe people entering while not attracting too much attention ourselves. This is not a matter of comfort or preference, but a desire to observe while remaining unseen.
This choice gives us psychological comfort. Because from the perspective of either a predator or prey, being able to see the surroundings while simultaneously hiding from danger is a great advantage.
The need to see the surroundings is not limited only to the structure of a space. Light and color also affect how our brain perceives a space.
People feel more comfortable and safe in spaces where natural light enters. Dark and narrow places, on the other hand, are instinctively perceived by the brain as a “danger signal.” This is a form of coding that comes from ancient times: darkness means the “unknown,” and the unknown means potential danger.
Therefore, staying in a windowless space for a long time affects a person’s psyche, creating distress and a depressed mood. Sometimes, in architecture, to compensate for this natural need, curtains are placed on the walls of windowless rooms, creating a visual illusion as if there were a window.
The effect of colors also comes from the same roots. For example, the calming effect of green and blue tones on people is probably the result of our ancestors’ long-term contact with nature. For thousands of years, the human eye became accustomed to the green of forests and the blue of the sky, and the brain began to perceive these colors as safe and familiar. Perhaps this is why 60% of the world’s population considers blue or green their favorite color. The designs, interiors, and even advertisements that surround us understand this biological mechanism very well and manage to influence our feelings through the language of color.
Therefore, our sense of safety is connected not only to the position of the place where we sit, but also to how we see and perceive our surroundings. Light, color, visibility, and the structure of a space work together to make our brain feel how familiar and safe that environment is.
However, today we do not live in the wild and we do not hunt. Nevertheless, those behaviors that ensured our safety in the past still influence our choices of space today.
Despite all the development of architecture and technology, humans are still influenced by these natural impulses. These impulses draw us toward some spaces and away from others. Yet most of the dangers that caused these behavioral patterns to develop no longer exist.
In other words, the danger itself has remained in the past, but the behavioral pattern formed in response to it is still with us.