How Mountain Park Spatial Environments Affect Physiological and Psychological Perceptions of Young Adults Based on Real Time Sensor Monitoring

Gathering spaces within urban parks serve as primary outdoor leisure venues, playing a critical role in facilitating social interaction and restoring the physical and mental well-being of this demographic. This study uses the example of Pipa Mountain Park in Chongqing, China to explore the psychological and physiological perceptual effects of spatial environmental characteristics on young adults in four typical gathering spaces: path platform, elevated point, viewing boundary, and key node. To this end, we employed onsite experimental methods using wearable ergonomic devices to collect participants’ physiological data, including electrophysiological, electroencephalogram (EEG), and eye-tracking data. Visual and auditory psychological perception evaluation data were obtained through on-site questionnaires. Descriptive statistical analysis revealed differential trends in participants’ psychological perceptions and physiological responses across distinct gathering spaces. The elevated point demonstrated the most favorable ratings for the psychological dimension “comfort” (M = 1.63, SD = 2.09). Subsequent principal component analysis elucidated key psychological perception indicators in mountainous settings, while Friedman test, Kruskal–Wallis tests, and random forest modeling quantified the effects of specific spatial environmental indicators on perceptual responses. Results indicated significant differences in psychological perceptions and physiological responses across gathering space typologies (p < 0.05). Influenced by the preferences and behavioral habits of young adults, environmental element complexity significantly enhanced attentional engagement (χ2 = 68.428, p < 0.01) and facilitated positive perceptual responses. The synergistic effects of the visual and auditory elements significantly enhance the restorative benefits of space; however, poor accessibility weakens this advantage. This study provides evidence for the in-depth analysis of the intrinsic mechanisms between the spatial environment and multisensory perception in urban mountain parks.