Psychophysiological responses to indoor wood use: A systematic literature review of indicators, methods, and research trends

What the study found

Visual wood exposure is the most studied modality, with heart rate and prefrontal measures common; the field needs longer exposures and more diverse samples.

Limitations

Many studies are small, short and geographically concentrated; material dose and finish vary.

Neurodesign interpretation

The material question should move beyond 'wood is calming.' Grain, color, orientation, tactility, odor and coverage are separate sensory variables.

Possible design implications

Specify species, surface, finish, area, sensory mode and exposure duration in material research.

Why it stays in the corpus

Retain as the current evidence map for wood interiors.

Study design

Systematic literature review

Population

Human participants across reviewed experiments

Setting

Interior environments

Field

Materials, biophilia

Mechanism

Visual, tactile and multisensory psychophysiology

Spatial variable

Indoor wood exposure

Keywords

wood, materials, HRV, prefrontal, biophilia