景觀偏好對於環境設計者而言，是一項重要的研究議題。Appleton認為景觀偏好肇因自生物的演化。在以生存為前提的條件下，人們會尋找方便觀看以及利於隱藏的區域，在適者生存的嚴苛環境中，這種美學的概念也就自然的被保留下來。儘管許多的研究遵循此一論點，然而，卻少有生理方面的證據予以支持。本研究給予30名受測者不同的心智任務（眺望/藏匿/偏好），以眼球追蹤的方式蒐集視覺注意力焦點，再以粗糙集合理論挖掘眺望藏匿理論與景觀偏好之間進一步的資訊。結果顯示，無論在空間分佈以及數量上（偏好>眺望>藏匿），三者皆存在差異。其中，三者的共同決策區域為21.35%，而眺望藏匿理論所能解釋的景觀偏好達63.78%，此一結果提供眺望藏匿理論一個合理的支撐點。

An important consideration for environmental designers is the influence of landscape preference. Appleton theorized that landscape preference is a function of evolution, arguing that “at both human and sub-human levels, the ability to see and the ability to hide are both important in calculating a creature’s survival prospects.” He termed his aesthetic hypothesis as “prospect-refuge theory.” Although subsequent studies have widely accepted Appleton’s position, there is in fact little physiological evidence to support the theory. The current study recruited 30 participants and carried out an experiment requiring each participant to undertake three mental tasks (prospect, refuge, and preference). Eye tracking technology was then utilized to collect the participant’s visual attention data (fixations) whilst undertaking the tasks. The data was examined using the data mining method based on rough set theory to gather information about the relationship between preference and prospect-refuge theory. The results of the decision matrix excavated from the rough set analysis varied in terms of the quantity or spatial distribution for each of the three different mental tasks. For all the tasks comprising the decision matrix, only 21.35% of the cells were found to be total coincidences. The results show that we can forecast approximately 63.78% of landscape preferences through each of the characteristics of prospectrefuge theory. This study therefore confirms the importance of prospect-refuge theory for determining landscape preference.