Watkins, Patel, and Antoine’s work signals the value of healthy eating at work and the consequences of supporting it. They report that “Food consumption has been conceptualized as an integral aspect of employee well-being. Whereas most research in the organizational literature to date is motivated by individual health outcomes, we assert that eating at work also entails interpersonal implications. . . .
Zhang and colleagues’ work confirms links between feeling awed and thinking creatively. The team reports that “on days when participants felt more daily awe than they typically do, they reported having done more everyday creative activities. The effects of awe were independent of amusement . . . and Big Five personality. . . . These results are the first to demonstrate a consistent link between awe and complementary measures of creativity.”
Hahnel-Peeters and colleagues investigated the implications of using nature words in names; their findings confirm the psychological value of in-nature experiences. The researchers report that “In Study 1, we conducted a content analysis of the naming conventions of apartment buildings and residential neighborhoods. We hypothesized that there would be more nature words (e.g., valley, river, arbor) in apartment and neighborhood names than nonnature words (e.g., 4th Street; Renaissance, Washington). . . .
Aristizabal and colleagues continue their research into the repercussions of biophilic in-workplace experiences. For the project reported here, they again exposed study participants to an assortment of experiences. The space where data were collected “allowed individuals to perform their typical workday task for 10 weeks. . . .
A new version of an ever useful circadian stimulus calculator is available; it will be as useful to people doing things such as developing circadian lighting systems as the previous one. The website at which the new calculator is available free of charge (noted below) shares that “The Light and Health Research Center (LHRC) at Mount Sinai has released an extensively revised version of its free, open access circadian stimulus (CS) calculator based on recent advances in the understanding of light’s effects on the human circadian system. As with earlier incarnations of the tool created when
When we feel “at home” (wherever we actually are) we’re profoundly comfortable, in a way that boosts our cognitive performance and our mental wellbeing. Neuroscientists have thoroughly investigated why some places feel homey and others don’t as well as when, where, and why homelike spaces should be developed.
Transcendent experiences, whether rooted in a religion or a practice such as meditation, can drive individual and group wellbeing. Neuroscience research can be applied to develop positive, uplifting, and inspiring settings.
Sights, sounds, and outcomes
Learning from pandemic experiences
Developing welcoming spaces for all users
