title: Can architectural design alter the physiological reaction to psychosocial stress? A virtual TSST experiment.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Architecture, Design and Media Technology, Aalborg University, Østeraagade 6, DK-9000 Aalborg C, Denmark. Electronic address: lbfi@create.aau.dk.
authors.forename: Lars Brorson
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Fich
authors.affiliation: Centre for Psychology, Kristianstad University, SE-29188, Sweden. Electronic address: Peter.jonsson@hkr.se.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jönsson
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil Engineering, Aarhus University, Dalgas Avenue 2, DK-8000 Aalborg, Denmark. Electronic address: phk@eng.au.dk.
authors.forename: Poul Henning
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Kirkegaard
authors.affiliation: Department of Design Sciences, Lund University, P.O. Box 18, SE-221 00 Lund, Sweden. Electronic address: mattias.wallergard@design.lth.se.
authors.forename: Mattias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wallergård
authors.affiliation: National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Lersø Parkallé 105, DK-2100 København Ø, Denmark. Electronic address: ahg@arbejdsmiljoforskning.dk.
authors.forename: Anne Helene
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Garde
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Østre Farimagsgade 5, DK-1014 København K, Denmark; Copenhagen Stress Research Center, Østre Farimagsgade 5, DK-1014 København K, Denmark; National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Lersø Parkallé 105, DK-2100 København Ø, Denmark. Electronic address: stk935@sund.ku.dk.
authors.forename: Åse
authors.initials: Å
authors.lastname: Hansen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D001108:Architecture; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male; D011581:Psychological Tests; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D014584:User-Computer Interface; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D006854:Hydrocortisone
keywords: Architecture; Cortisol; Enclosure; Openness; Spaciousness; Stress; TSST; Trier Social Stress Test; VR-TSST; Virtual reality Trier Social Stress Test