Wood and human stress in the built indoor environment: a review

What the study found

Studies of psychophysiological responses to wood in interiors showed reduced autonomic stress responses in rooms with wood compared with rooms without or with less wood. The review also covers methods for assessing stress in experiments.

Limitations

Narrative rather than systematic; the underlying studies are mostly small and short.

Neurodesign interpretation

An earlier review consistent with ND-0081 and ND-0082.

Possible design implications

Supports wood as one element of restorative interiors, with the limits of short laboratory exposures.

Study design

Narrative review

Population

Humans across reviewed experiments.

Setting

Interior environments

Field

Materials + haptics, Biophilia + restoration

Mechanism

Autonomic stress recovery

Spatial variable

Wood exposure

Keywords

wood, stress, autonomic, restorative design, review

Notes and follow-up

Related records: ND-0081, ND-0082, ND-0083, ND-0140, ND-0143.