TY - JOUR
T1 - Can architectural design alter the physiological reaction to psychosocial stress?
T2 - A virtual TSST experiment
AU - Fich, Lars Brorson
AU - Jönsson, Peter
AU - Kirkegaard, Poul Henning
AU - Wallergård, Mattias
AU - Garde, Anne Helene
AU - Hansen, Åse
N1 - Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
PY - 2014/8/12
Y1 - 2014/8/12
N2 - Is has long been established, that views to natural scenes can a have a dampening effect on physiological stress responses. However, as people in Europe, Canada and North America today spent 50-85% of their time indoors, attention might also be paid to how the artificial man-made indoor environment influences these mechanisms. The question that this study attempts to start addressing is therefore whether certain design, characteristics of indoor spaces can make a difference to the physiological stress response as well. Using a virtual version of the Trier Social Stress Test, in which the space is computer generated and properties of the space therefore can be systematically varied, we measured saliva cortisol and heart rate variability in participants in a closed room versus a room with openings. As shown by a significant linear contrast interaction between groups and TSST conditions, participants in the closed room responded with more pronounced cortisol reactivity to stress induction, and continued to show higher levels throughout recovery, compared to participants in the open room. No differences were found regarding any part of the autonomic nervous system.
AB - Is has long been established, that views to natural scenes can a have a dampening effect on physiological stress responses. However, as people in Europe, Canada and North America today spent 50-85% of their time indoors, attention might also be paid to how the artificial man-made indoor environment influences these mechanisms. The question that this study attempts to start addressing is therefore whether certain design, characteristics of indoor spaces can make a difference to the physiological stress response as well. Using a virtual version of the Trier Social Stress Test, in which the space is computer generated and properties of the space therefore can be systematically varied, we measured saliva cortisol and heart rate variability in participants in a closed room versus a room with openings. As shown by a significant linear contrast interaction between groups and TSST conditions, participants in the closed room responded with more pronounced cortisol reactivity to stress induction, and continued to show higher levels throughout recovery, compared to participants in the open room. No differences were found regarding any part of the autonomic nervous system.
KW - Adult
KW - Anxiety/physiopathology
KW - Architecture
KW - Autonomic Nervous System/physiopathology
KW - Heart Rate/physiology
KW - Humans
KW - Hydrocortisone/analysis
KW - Male
KW - Psychological Tests
KW - Saliva/chemistry
KW - Stress, Psychological/physiopathology
KW - User-Computer Interface
KW - Young Adult
U2 - 10.1016/j.physbeh.2014.05.034
DO - 10.1016/j.physbeh.2014.05.034
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 24907691
SN - 0031-9384
VL - 135
SP - 91
EP - 97
JO - Physiology & Behavior
JF - Physiology & Behavior
ER -