Asano and colleagues learned that walking in hot outdoor environments can harm subsequent cognitive performance indoors; this finding supports creating more temperature controlled indoor walking areas in office complexes and similar locations. The research team reports that “In the experiments [conducted], a total of 96 participants took a mathematical addition test in an air-conditioned room before and after walking in an actual outdoor environment.
Duran-Barraza and colleagues evaluated how titles influence responses to artistic photography. They report that “Conceptual information is central to the field of artistic photography. . . . we investigated whether artist's conceptual titles affected viewers’ interest in artistic photographs. Experiment 1 showed that adding artist's conceptual titles increased both the rated liking of and interest in the photographs, whereas adding a descriptive title had no effect.
Shen and colleagues studied responses to different sorts of advertisements along with perceived beauty. They report that “Using 68 standardized environmental advertisements as materials, this study examines potential differences between warning-based and vision-based environmental advertisements in the induced environment-related aesthetic perception and experience. The results show a significant difference between warning-based and vision-based advertisements in the experienced beauty . . . with no difference in (global) aesthetic perception.
Satish, Joseph, and Nanavati recap the benefits of natural light. They report that “Exposure to daylight, in particular, plays an outsized role in our overall well-being and mental health. Like almost all animals, humans have a circadian cycle that regulates sleep, metabolism, heart rate, and body temperature over a 24-hour cycle. Daylight is the main environmental stimulus that syncs the body’s internal clock with the external world. . . . Studies have shown that daylight access can reduce stress, lower blood pressure, and even improve a person’s cognitive function.”
Researchers have identified an increased likelihood of hoarding in people with ADHD; this finding may indicate a greater need for storage options among people with ADHD who are not hoarding. Morein-Zamir and colleagues report that “Whilst formerly associated with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), it is now recognised that individuals with HD [hoarding disorder] often have inattention symptoms reminiscent of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Here, we investigated HD in adults with ADHD. . . .
Liao and teammates’ work supports previous studies with color-based metaphors. The researchers learned that “Previous studies demonstrated that colors evoke certain affective meanings. . . . Japanese participants were presented with emoticons depicting four basic emotions (Happy, Sad, Angry, Surprised) and a Neutral expression, each rendered in eight colors. . . . The affective [emotional] meaning of Angry and Sad emoticons was found to be stronger when conferred in warm and cool colors, respectively. . . .
Chuquichambi and colleagues’ work confirms that humans prefer curved lines to sharp angled ones. The research team reports that “Lines contribute to the visual experience of drawings. People show a higher preference for curved than sharp angled lines. We studied preference for curvature using drawings of commonly-used objects drawn by design students. We also investigated the relationship of that preference with drawing preference. Experiments 1 and 2 revealed preference for the curved drawings in the laboratory and web-based contexts, respectively.
Uziel and Tomer Schmidt-Barad investigated how the decisions to be alone and to be with others influence wellbeing and their findings confirm the importance effects of control on wellbeing. The research duo report that “Stable social relationships are conducive to well-being. . . . The present investigation suggests that . . . social interactions increase ESWB [experiential subjective well-being] only if taken place by one's choice. Moreover, it is argued that choice matters more in a social context than in an alone context because experiences with others are amplified.
People can build positive relationships with places just as they do with other humans. When person-place bonds are established, physical and mental wellbeing and performance skyrocket. Neuroscience research details practical ways design can encourage connections between people and places.
Design can help us to refresh mentally, to revitalize our minds. What neuroscientists have learned about how design can support brain bounce backs can be used to develop spaces where people work to their full potential and lead pleasant lives.
