As virtual work becomes more prevalent, an important question arises: how do surface colors and light color temperature in a virtual environment impact creativity?

Abstract

ABSTRACT Colors and light affect human emotions, and positive emotions encourage human creativity. To enhance student creativity, the appropriate surface colors and light color temperatures in a virtual environment must be determined. This study explores how color and light color temperature in a virtual space impact student creativity. In Experiment 1, color and light color temperature were chosen by surveying 189 architect students who answered questionnaires after watching 10 pictures of a workspace with five different surface colors and two light color temperatures. The workspace with white walls and daylight had the highest mode scores for positive emotion perception. Experiment 2 assessed the creativity of 46 participants using virtual reality (VR) and the alternative uses test (AUT). Participants were divided into two groups of 23. The first group was exposed to white surfaces under daylight. The second group interacted with red surfaces under warm light. The results indicate that a space with white surfaces and daylight significantly enhances creativity, specifically in originality component, compared to a space with red surfaces and warm light. Using light colors and daylight in VR workspace design may promote positive emotions and enhance creativity.