Effects of workspace wall colors on productivity and emotion via immersive VR and physiological data

Although the environmental color of a workspace is recognized as a critical factor influencing the psychological well-being of its occupants, empirical findings remain inconsistent. To bridge this gap and enhance ecological validity, this study utilized Immersive Virtual Reality (IVR) to simulate controlled yet realistic workspace environments. High levels of realism and user involvement in the IVR simulations were validated. This study employed a within-subjects design. Sixty participants of Asian and African descent experienced all four differently colored IVR-simulated workspace environments (red, blue, green, yellow), with the order of experimental conditions balanced using a Latin square design. Productivity was objectively measured using a proofreading task. Emotional state was assessed using subjective reports (Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, PANAS) and physiological measures (skin conductance, SC; heart rate, HR; heart rate variability, HRV). The study compared four color conditions and found: (i) productivity was significantly lowest under green condition compared to red, blue, and yellow; (ii) positive affect (PA) was higher in yellow and blue than in red and green conditions, while negative affect (NA) was highest under red condition. However, color condition had no significant effect on physiological indicators. Furthermore, the findings preliminarily suggested a weak but statistically significant negative correlation between productivity and PA in yellow and blue conditions. Though the effects may reflect both hue and luminance influences, this study provides robust evidence that chromatic wall schemes in workspaces can significantly influence occupants’ productivity and emotional states. The research enriches the empirical data in the existing literature and offers new evidence to support related discussions. These findings offer concrete practical implications for designing workspaces that optimize occupant performance and well-being.