Exploring The Influence Of Scent And Touch On Psychophysiological Stress At Work: A Pilot Neurophenomenology-informed Study
Sophie Schuller, Annique Laurens Janse, Lisanne Bergefurt, Yvonne A. W. de Kort, Rianne Appel‐Meulenbroek
Brain and Environment October 1, 2026 DOI: 10.1016/j.braen.2026.100038 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Pilot study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Measures | Heart rate variability, electrodermal activity, affective ratings, phenomenology-informed accounts |
| Topics | Philosophy of mind |
| Key points | Preliminary findings suggested greater autonomic differentiation by materiality than by scent, with soft home-like office settings showing higher physiological arousal than hard, utilitarian environments. Exploratory time-resolved analyses suggested scent-related responses may depend on the broader material context, possibly reflecting a response to interior atmosphere rather than specific sensory qualities. Participants' phenomenology-informed accounts indicated possible task-environment incongruence, comfort-focus trade-offs, and symbolic meanings associated with homey versus utilitarian settings. |
Abstract
Despite extensive research on the influence of office environments on occupant health, the sensory mechanisms through which workplaces influence psychophysiological stress remain poorly understood, particularly beyond visual and acoustic factors. This pilot study examined how olfactory and tactile qualities of office environments influence psychophysiological stress using a neurophenomenology-informed approach that integrates physiological measures with experiential data. Participants were exposed to four simulated office environments varying in materiality (hard versus soft) and scent (present versus absent). Heart rate variability, electrodermal activity, affective ratings and phenomenology-informed accounts were collected using a neurophenomenology-informed framework adapted for an applied workplace setting. Preliminary findings suggested greater autonomic differentiation by materiality than by scent, with soft home-like settings showing higher physiological arousal than hard, utilitarian environments. Exploratory time-resolved analyses further suggest that scent-related responses may depend on the broader material context, which may suggest a response to interior atmosphere rather than specific sensory qualities. Phenomenology-informed accounts provided interpretive context, indicating possible task–environment incongruence, comfort–focus trade-offs, and symbolic meanings associated with homey versus utilitarian settings. Given the small pilot sample, these findings should be considered exploratory and hypothesis generating, and require replication in larger, adequately powered studies. Nevertheless, the results indicate that everyday sensory qualities of office environments may be associated with subtle physiological responses that are not readily captured through self-report or neurophysiological measures in isolation. The study therefore demonstrates the potential value of integrating physiological and experiential data within a neurophenomenology-informed framework for applied workplace research.
Comparable studies
Other non-randomized and open-label trials on philosophy of mind, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| EEG signature in psychiatrist's subjective experience: a pilot study. Two psychiatrists (one male, one female) and ten patients; seven patients with mixed... | 2026 | Pilot study | n = 12 |
| The assessment of the phenomenology of sleep paralysis: the Unusual Sleep Experiences Questionnaire (USEQ). College students | 2009 | Pilot study | n = 208 |
Citations in the library
Cites 6
- Guiding the study of brain dynamics by using first-person data: Synchrony patterns correlate with ongoing conscious states during a simple visual task Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences January 22, 2002
- The Enactive Approach to Architectural Experience: A Neurophysiological Perspective on Embodiment, Motivation, and Affordances. Frontiers in Psychology 2016
- The Hitchhiker's Guide to Neurophenomenology - The Case of Studying Self Boundaries With Meditators. Frontiers in Psychology 2020
- Designing “pre-reflective” architecture Ambiances January 13, 2025
- Neurophenomenology revisited: second-person methods for the study of human consciousness. Frontiers in Psychology 2015
and 1 more in the library