Abstract:

Objective: This study explores the impact of material sensory characteristics on human psychological and physiological restoration in indoor environments, and analyzes the regulatory role of subjective impressions and comfort perception in the recovery process. The purpose of this study is provide empirical support for understanding the formation mechanism of restoration effects in real indoor environments, and provide theoretical basis and practical reference for the scientific selection and design application of wooden materials in biophilic architecture. Method: The coated and uncoated Chinese fir wall panels served as visual stimuli comprised, and solid Chinese fir board and melamine-impregnated paper-overlaid particleboard served as tactile stimuli. Three visual-tactile wooden environments with significant differences in comfort perception were constructed, and latex-painted walls and ceramic tiles were used as a control environment. Sixty-four university students were recruited to perform a cognitive fatigue-inducing task in each condition, and their electrocardiography (ECG) and electrodermal activity (EDA) post-task physiological responses were recorded using electrocardiography (ECG) and electrodermal activity (EDA). Psychological restoration was assessed with the state-trait anxiety inventory-6 (STAI-6), subjective vitality scale (SVS), and restoration outcome scale (ROS). Environmental perceptions were rated on Likert scales. ANOVA and non-parametric methods were used to compare the differences in physical and mental responses under different environmental conditions, and Spearman rank correlation analysis was used to examine associations between physiological indices and subjective evaluations. Result: Compared with the control environment, the short-term interaction between visual and tactile senses in the wooden environments significantly enhanced post-task parasympathetic activity. The high-frequency power (HF) of heart rate variability and root mean square of successive differences (RMSSD) in adjacent normal sinus intervals were both increased compared to the baseline period, and the amplitude was significantly greater than that in the control environment (P<0.05). The difference in surface gloss caused by wall coating did not produce significant physiological effects (P>0.05). Tactile contact with melamine-overlaid particleboard significantly reduced skin conductance level (SCL) (P<0.05), but did not cause corresponding change in perceived naturalness (P>0.05). Psychological restoration scores were positively associated with perceived naturalness, comfort, and preference (P<0.05). Increases in HF and RMSSD were also correlated with higher naturalness and preference ratings (P<0.05). Conclusion: Short-term interaction between visual and tactile senses in the wooden environments effectively facilitates psychological and autonomic recovery following cognitive effort, and its effects are not only related to the sensory properties of the material, but also regulated by individuals' subjective perception of the overall comfort and impression of the environment. Meanwhile, changes in the autonomic nervous system exhibit sensory specificity, with visual stimuli enhancing parasympathetic activity and tactile stimuli regulating skin sympathetic activity. These findings suggest that restorative effects arise from a synergistic integration of visually mediated psychological relaxation and tactile-mediated physiological modulation, rather than from a single dimension of perceived naturalness.

Key words: wooden environment, visual-tactile interaction, psychological restoration, autonomic nervous system, Chinese fir