Characteristics of physical environments that enhance learning: A systematic review of EEG-Based empirical studies

Abstract

Physical environments can influence human emotion, cognition, and behavior including learning. Despite the importance of the physical environment in learning, neurophysiological evidence has not been extensively sought. The purpose of this study was, through an analysis of empirical studies in which electroencephalograms (EEGs) were used, to identify (a) the characteristics of physical environments that enhance learning, (b) the main brainwave indicators and brain regions associated with the learning process, and (c) the characteristics of EEG research design and materials. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses, or PRISMA, method and snowball sampling were used to select the 22 research articles analyzed in this study. The main findings from the selected literature include the following. First, color, lighting, and thermal comfort were the most commonly studied elements of physical environments that affect learning in EEG studies; attention, restoration, and creativity were the main cognitive‒psychological aspects investigated. Second, the main EEG brainwave indicators for attention were beta waves and those of restoration were alpha waves, relative alpha to beta, and the asymmetry indicator of alpha. The main brain regions associated with learning were the frontal, prefrontal, and occipital lobes. Third, regarding research design and materials, the systematic review revealed some gaps and limitations in previous studies, making research reproducibility difficult and necessitating the development of a standard research protocol and report of trustworthiness. The results of this study provide meaningful insights for the evaluation and planning of learning environments and future agendas for researchers in the field of environmental psychology.