Using Virtual Reality to Explore the Effects of Feng Shui on Physiology and Psychology

Abstract

Feng shui is an ancient Chinese subject that has been adopted by many architects and interior designers. However, the jury is still out on whether feng shui is a legacy of traditional experience or a design guideline that can be scientifically measured. There are a few studies that discuss the use of feng shui in indoor and outdoor decoration, but for its impact on the human body's psychological perception and physical comfort are still rarely to be discussed. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate whether the living room decorated under different feng shui conditions will affect the physiological reaction and psychological feeling of the human body. This study created a virtual experimental scene, made the participants wear VR glasses, measured their physiological value of HRV simultaneously, and conducted semi-structured interviews after completing the POMS psychological measuring table. The results showed that: (1) The results of heart rate variability showed that the living room with better feng shui conditions could provide more stable physiological data for the subjects and make them feel comfortable and stable. However, the pattern with poor feng shui conditions reflects the unstable physiological data of the subjects, which makes people feel anxious and uneasy. (2) The results of the emotion measuring table showed that the living room with better feng shui conditions could provide the subjects with a more pleasant mental state, while the living room with poor feng shui conditions reflected the subjects' less pleasant mental state. (3) In the semi-structured interview, the subjects reported that they would judge their own needs in life and allocate the living room, and would not completely follow the principles of feng shui. The results showed that interior spaces with feng shui in mind generated more positive emotions, while also being perceived as a more comfortable environment.