The relationship between plant and humans in indoor environment: A pilot test during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Little to no studies have examined the relationship between plants and humans during COVID-19, especially the effectiveness of plants in alleviating psychological distress when working in an office. The paper proposes a conceptual framework to investigate the existence of plants to reduce occupants' psychological distress during the pandemic. The selected site was a newly renovated office in an academic institution with all the essential furniture, and Epipremnum aureum was placed on the tabletop. Since the study was conducted during the pandemic, a 3D-rendered scene of the room was developed based on the actual settings of the office. A pilot test was employed in this stage of the study. The survey questionnaires were administered online, with 106 participants responding. Hayes Process Macro for moderation analysis was executed in SPSS v.23 to understand plant relationship with perceived emotional change, including the mediator-room's attractiveness. The pilot test results (actual and simulated models) show that putting E. aureum on a tabletop can positively influence the calmness of the indoor occupants and make them happy (direct effect). Plants that improve the room's attractiveness might not necessarily contribute to calming the indoor occupants, but they make them happy (indirect effect). Lastly, the conceptual framework provides insight to the designers, stakeholders, and policymakers on the importance of plants in reducing occupants' psychological distress and enhancing work productivity.