October 6, 2025 • 21 mins
The Psychology of Everyday Aesthetics: How Our Surroundings Shape Our Well-being
In this episode of PsyberSpace, host Leslie Poston explores the psychological impact of everyday aesthetics on our emotions, focus, and overall well-being. From cozy cafes to well-lit offices, Leslie delves into the science behind how environmental cues like color, light, form, and texture affect our mental state and cognitive performance. The episode also discusses the importance of creating supportive environments, especially for those who are neurodivergent, chronically ill, or recovering from trauma. Learn how to leverage aesthetic principles to create spaces that promote safety, comfort, and productivity. This episode emphasizes that aesthetics aren't frivolous but functional, and they play a crucial role in our daily lives and mental health.
00:00 Introduction to PsyberSpace
00:23 The Cafe Effect: How Environment Enhances Experience
01:01 The Psychology of Everyday Aesthetics
02:25 The Science Behind Aesthetic Responses
04:12 Environmental Psychology and Neuroaesthetics
08:33 The Impact of Light, Color, and Texture
11:11 Aesthetics and Memory: Emotional Anchors
17:31 Designing for Wellbeing: Practical Tips
20:33 Conclusion: Aesthetics as Functional and Essential
References
Browning, W. D., Ryan, C. O., & Clancy, J. O. (2014). 14 patterns of biophilic design. Terrapin Bright Green.
Cela-Conde, C. J., Marty, G., Maestú, F., Ortiz, T., Munar, E., Fernández, A., Roca, M., Rosselló, J., & Quesney, F. (2004). Activation of the prefrontal cortex in the human visual aesthetic perception. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 101(16), 6321–6325.
Chatterjee, A., & Vartanian, O. (2014). Neuroaesthetics. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 18(7), 370–375.
Cupchik, G. C. (2009). Viewing artworks: Contributions of cognitive control and perceptual facilitation to aesthetic experience. Brain and Cognition, 70(1), 84–91.
Kaplan, R., & Kaplan, S. (1989). The experience of nature: A psychological perspective. Cambridge University Press.
Kaplan, S. (1995). The restorative benefits of nature: Toward an integrative framework. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 15(3), 169–182.
Kawabata, H., & Zeki, S. (2004). Neural correlates of beauty. Journal of Neurophysiology, 91(4), 1699–1705.
Kellert, S. R., Heerwagen, J., & Mador, M. (Eds.). (2008). Biophilic design: The theory, science and practice of bringing buildings to life. John Wiley & Sons.
Ohly, H., White, M. P., Wheeler, B. W., Bethel, A., Ukoumunne, O. C., Nikolaou, V., & Garside, R. (2016). Attention restoration theory: A systematic review of the attention restoration potential of exposure to natural environments. Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part B, 19(7), 305–343.
Ulrich, R. S. (1984). View through a window may influence recovery from surgery. Science, 224(4647), 420–421.
Ulrich, R. S. (1991). Stress recovery during exposure to natural and urban environments. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 11(3), 201–230.
Zeki, S. (1999). Inner vision: An exploration of art and the brain. Oxford University Press.
Zeki, S., Romaya, J. P., Benincasa, D. M. T., & Atiyah, M. F. (2014). The experience of mathematical beauty and its neural correlates. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 8, 68.
Zeki, S., Chén, O. Y., & Romaya, J. P. (2020). Neuroaesthetics: The art, science, and brain triptych. In A. Chatterjee & E. Cardillo (Eds.), Brain, beauty & art: Essays bringing neuroaesthetics into focus (pp. 1–28). Oxford University Press.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Leslie Poston (00:12):
Welcome back to PsyberSpace. I'm your host,
Leslie Poston. Recently, Italked about the psychological
benefits of tiny pleasures,little micro joys. This week,
we're talking about a somewhatrelated topic, Why that cafe
with the plants and the sunlightmakes your latte taste better.
You know the one I'm talkingabout.
Maybe it's got warm wood, gentlelighting, plants hanging from
(00:36):
the ceiling, soft music in thebackground, or live music. The
coffee probably tastes the sameas it does at the gas station
down the road, but somehow itfeels better. You're more at
ease. You might even have agreat idea while you're sitting
there, so you linger and youfeel good. That's not marketing.
That's not a trick. That's yourbrain responding to
(00:56):
environmental cues in ways thatgenuinely change your
experience. Today's episodeexplores the psychology of
everyday aesthetics. Not justart museums or fancy
architecture, but the ordinaryvisual and sensory details that
shape our emotions, our focus,and our sense of well-being.
I'll dig into the science behindour response to beauty, the role
(01:19):
of color and light, how form andtexture affect cognition, and
why design either supports ordisrupts our ability to regulate
emotion.
This isn't about aesthetics asluxury, It's about aesthetics as
psychology. So let's get intoit. Let's start with something
(01:40):
familiar. You walk into a cafe.Maybe it's that cozy spot with
soft chairs, warm lighting, andplants in the windows I just
mentioned.
Or maybe it's a Turkish coffeehouse with ornate tiles, copper
pots, the smell of cardamom.Maybe it's a hip hop cafe like
Deadstock in Portland wheresneaker culture meets community
(02:01):
building, art covers the walls,and the music pulses with
intention. The specifics vary,but the effect is the same.
Somehow you feel better. Thedrink tastes better, and you
want to stay.
This isn't the placebo effect inthe traditional sense, it's
perception. Your environmentgenuinely changes your
(02:21):
experience of flavor, comfort,and emotion. Research shows that
ambient light, color,temperature, and sound all
influence how we experience whatwe eat and drink. Your brain is
constantly absorbing cues fromyour surroundings whether you
consciously notice them or not.When those cues signal safety,
(02:42):
warmth, and care or vibrancy,immunity, and identity, your
nervous system relaxes.
Your sensory systems become morereceptive. This phenomenon
extends beyond coffee shops.Think about how different you
feel in a well lit office withplants versus a windowless
cubicle farm with flashingfluorescent lights. Or how a
(03:04):
cluttered beige waiting roommakes time feel slower and your
anxiety sharper. The spaces weinhabit don't just provide
shelter.
They actively shape how wethink, feel, and function. And
that's what this episode isabout: the hidden psychological
power of aesthetics in oureveryday lives. And here's the
thing. You don't need a degreein interior design to understand
(03:27):
this or use it. You just need topay attention to what your
nervous system is alreadytelling you because your body
knows when a space feels good.
It's been tracking safety andcomfort through environmental
cues since you were born. Thequestion is whether you're
listening. I got the idea forthis episode from a cultural
(03:50):
shift in language on TikTok. Inoticed that some of the offered
generations were starting to usethe word aesthetic as a verb or
as a descriptor, like that's soaesthetic or let's get
aesthetic. And I was sointrigued by that that I wanted
to dive into the psychology ofaesthetics.
When most people hearaesthetics, they think of art
(04:11):
galleries, museums, orbeautifully designed homes
featured in magazines. But inpsychology, especially
environmental psychology,aesthetics means something
broader and more ordinary. It'sabout the sensory impact of
design choices in all the placeswe actually spend our time.
Everyday aesthetics includes howyour bedroom is arranged, the
(04:33):
way the sunlight hits your deskin the morning, the color of a
cereal box on your table, thesound design in an app you love,
the font on a street sign, thegraffiti on a street sign, the
texture of the chair you'resitting in right now. These are
not neutral details.
They're constantly influencinghow safe we feel, how alert or
(04:55):
relaxed we are, and how muchcognitive energy we have
available. That makes aestheticsdeeply psychological even when
it doesn't feel profound.Everyday aesthetics also doesn't
mean expensive taste or curatedminimalism. It means the small
accumulated visual and sensoryexperiences that shape our mood,
condition, and behavior. Achild's brightly colored
(05:18):
bedroom, a cluttered kitchencounter, a hospital corridor, or
a subway station are allaesthetics.
These details might not registerconsciously, but your brain
reacts anyway. Your heart rateshifts, your cortisol levels
change, and your intention spanexpands or contracts based on
what you're seeing, hearing, andtouching. This is why two people
(05:41):
can have completely differentemotional responses to the exact
same space. What feels calmingto you might feel sterile or
boring to someone else. Whatfeels cozy to one person might
feel claustrophobic to anotherwhen a minimalist meets a
maximalist.
It can be interesting. Aestheticpreferences are shaped by
culture, memory,neurodivergence, trauma, and
(06:04):
individual sensory processing.But across all that variation,
there are some consistentpatterns in what helps people
feel grounded, safe, and capableof focus. And that's what
environmental psychologystudies. There's a field called
neuroaesthetics that studies howour brains respond to beauty.
(06:25):
When we perceive something asbeautiful, whether it's a
painting, landscape, or even awell designed object, specific
areas of our brain light up. Oneof those areas is the
orbitofrontal cortex, which isinvolved in decision making,
reports processing, andemotional regulation. Another is
the insula, which integratessensory information with
(06:46):
emotional states. The visualcortex obviously plays a role
too, but it's not working alone.What's fascinating is that
aesthetic pleasure isn't justabstract or intellectual.
It's embodied. It shows up inyour heart rate, your cortisol
levels, your attention span, andeven your immune function.
Research by neuroscientistsZechi and others has shown that
(07:08):
when people view art or beauty,their brains respond in ways
similar to when they eat goodfood or listen to music they
love. Dopamine gets released,and the default mode network the
part of your brain involved indaydreaming, self reflection,
and meaning making, becomes moreactive. This is why beauty can
feel nourishing.
It activates systems designed topromote well-being, connection,
(07:30):
and rest. Even fleeting exposureto beautiful or calming imagery
can reduce stress and improvecognitive performance. One study
found that patients recoveringfrom surgery healed faster if
they had a view of trees fromtheir hospital window compared
to patients who just looked at abrick wall. Another found that
office workers with access tonatural light reported better
(07:52):
mood, sleep, and focus thanthose in windowless
environments. And remote workersreport high levels of
satisfaction in part becausethey control their own working
environment.
Your brain treats beauty, or atleast certain kinds of beauty,
as a signal that you're in asafe, resource rich environment.
And when your brain gets thatsignal, it allows you to relax,
(08:13):
think more broadly, and engagemore creatively. That's not
frivolous. That's survival.Because humans evolved in
environments where beauty oftencorrelated with safety water,
greenery, shelter, andcommunity.
We're still wired to respond tothose cues even when they show
up in a cafe or your livingroom. Let's break down some of
(08:35):
the specific ingredients thatmake up aesthetic experience.
Light, for example, is one ofthe most powerful environmental
variables affecting mood andcognition. Natural light
regulates circadian rhythms,which control sleep, alertness,
and hormone production. Exposureto daylight during the day
improves sleep quality at nightand reduces symptoms of
(08:56):
depression.
Warm, dim lighting in theevening signals your brain that
it's time to wind down. Butharsh overhead fluorescent
lighting? That can increaseanxiety, reduce focus, and even
trigger headaches or sensoryoverload, especially for
neurodivergent people. Lightingisn't just about visibility.
It's about tone, mood, andnervous system regulation.
(09:19):
This is why a softly lit roomfeels intimate and a brightly
lit office feels sterile. Yourbrain is reading the light and
making assumptions about safetyand social context. Color also
matters, although it's moreculturally variable than we
sometimes assume. Studies haveshown that blue tones can
promote calmness and focus,which is why so many hospitals
(09:41):
and schools use blue in theirdesign. Red and orange tend to
raise arousal and alertness,which can be useful in short
bursts but exhausting over time.
Green is often associated withcreativity and restoration,
perhaps because of itsconnection to nature. But
individual and culturaldifferences mean there is no one
(10:02):
size fits all color palette forwell-being. What feels
energizing in one culturalcontext, like the vibrant
yellows and magentas of a SouthAsian celebration or the rich
golds and reds of a Chinese NewYear, might feel overwhelming in
another. The key is alignmentwith your own nervous system and
cultural identity, not adherenceto some universal aesthetic
(10:24):
standard. Texture and form areequally important.
Soft fabrics and organictextures like wood or stone tend
to increase comfort and reducetension. Smooth, sleek surfaces
can feel modern and clean, butthey can also feel cold or
impersonal if they're overused.Even the shapes of furniture and
(10:44):
architecture matter. Researchshows that people generally find
curved edges and rounded formsmore pleasant and less stressful
than sharp angles and harshlines. This is probably because
angular, jagged shapes signal apotential threat.
They look like weapons, clips,predators. Our brains are always
scanning for danger, and designcues can help us decide whether
(11:07):
we're safe or on edge. We don'tjust react to beauty in the
moment. We encode it. Beautifulor emotionally resonant
environments create stronger,more detailed memories.
The cozy bookshop with thestring lights and the smell of
old paper might become a comfortanchor you return to in your
(11:27):
mind during stressful times. Asterile, disorganized office
might be remembered as cold,alienating, or even traumatic if
you experience somethingdifficult there. The way a space
looks becomes part of the storywe tell about it. Aesthetics
help shape our narrative memory,which is a big part of identity
formation and meaning making.This is especially true for
(11:50):
children whose early memoriesare often encoded alongside
vivid sensory details, The colorof their favorite blanket, the
pattern of wallpaper in theirgrandma's house, the way light
looked through a certain window.
These aren't just backgrounddetails. They're part of how we
understand who we are and wherewe're from. Aesthetic elements
also serve as emotional anchors.When you're feeling anxious or
(12:13):
overwhelmed, familiar sensorycues can help you regulate. This
is why people create comfortspaces.
A reading nook, a favorite cafe,a particular playlist paired
with dim lighting. These ritualsuse aesthetic consistency to
signal safety to your nervoussystem. For me, when I'm feeling
anxious, I bake some of mygrandma's cookies because it
(12:35):
brings me right back to herkitchen, which is a comforting
place to me. Your brain learns,when I'm in this space with this
light and this texture, maybethese smells, I can relax. And
that learning is powerful, andit could be intentionally
cultivated.
In trauma therapy, there's aconcept called environmental
anchoring, where therapists helpclients create or identify
(12:58):
spaces that support nervoussystem regulation. This might
involve changing the lighting ina bedroom, adding soft textures,
or removing clutter thattriggers stress. The goal isn't
to make things pretty in asuperficial way it's to make the
environment legible and safe tothe body. Because when your
surroundings feel chaotic, yourinternal state often follows.
(13:20):
Now let's talk about theopposite.
Poorly designed spaces don'tjust look unpleasant, they
create psychological friction.Offices with no windows at all,
beige walls, overheadfluorescence, and loud HVAC
systems create low level chronicstress. This kind of stress
(13:40):
isn't dramatic or acute, it'ssubtle. But it accumulates.
Chronic exposure toaesthetically harsh or chaotic
environments makes it harder toconcentrate, regulate emotion,
and stay motivated.
It also makes it harder to thinkcreatively. In hospitals,
sterile and overly clinicalenvironments have been shown to
(14:01):
slow patient recovery andincrease reports of pain. In
schools, classrooms with poorlighting, no natural elements,
and high visual cluttercontribute to distraction,
behavioral issues, and loweracademic performance. In
workplaces, those windowlessoffices we talked about are
linked to higher rates ofburnout and lower job
(14:21):
satisfaction. This isn't aboutbeing too sensitive or needing
everything to be aestheticallyperfect.
It's about cognitive load. Whenyour environment is constantly
sending signals of discomfort,threat, or overstimulation, your
brain has to work harder just tomaintain baseline function. That
leaves less energy for the tasksyou're actually trying to do,
(14:42):
whether that's learning,working, healing, or connecting
with others. We live in aculture that often separates
function and form as if they'reindependent variables. But when
form actively harms cognitiveand emotional function, that
separation doesn't hold.
Bad design isn't just ugly it'sdisabling. And the people most
(15:02):
affected are often those who arealready people with sensory
processing differences, peoplerecovering from trauma, people
living in under resourcedenvironments who don't have the
option to leave or to redesigntheir spaces. There's a growing
movement to design spaces thatactively support emotional and
(15:24):
physical health. This includestrauma informed architecture,
which considers how designchoices affect people who've
experienced trauma Things likevisibility, controllability,
predictability, and sensorymodulation. It includes
biophilic design, which bringsnatural elements like plants,
natural light, water features,and organic materials into our
(15:46):
built environment.
And it includes frameworks likethe well building standard,
which integrates mental healthinto design metrics by focusing
on air quality, light levels,noise reduction, and spatial
layout. Research byenvironmental psychologist Roger
Ulrich and others has shown thateven small aesthetic
interventions can havemeasurable health effects.
(16:07):
Patients with a view of natureheal faster. Workers with access
to daylight report better sleepand mood. Students in classrooms
with natural light and warmcolors perform better on tests.
These same principles hold truein our homes, schools,
hospitals, and workplaces.Design is never neutral. Every
choice affects someone's nervoussystem, attention, and emotional
(16:29):
capacity. This doesn't meanevery space needs to look like a
wellness retreat or aScandinavian design magazine. It
means paying attention to theimpact of design choices on the
people who use those spaces,especially people with different
sensory needs, culturalbackgrounds, and lived
experiences.
That means recognizing thataccessibility includes sensory
(16:50):
accessibility and that mentalhealth support can be built into
the walls, lighting, and layoutof a room. User experience
design follows similarprinciples. Good UX reduces
cognitive friction and helpspeople feel calm and in control.
Bad UX creates frustration andfatigue. The stakes might seem
(17:14):
lower than hospital design, butthe psychological principles are
the same.
Design either supports ordisrupts regulation. And since
we spend hours a day staring atscreens, digital aesthetics
matter just as much as physicalones. So what does this mean for
your life? You don't need tolive in an architectural
(17:37):
masterpiece. You don't needfancy furniture or a perfectly
curated home.
What you do need is awarenessand alignment. Start noticing
which environments help youthink, feel safe, or rest.
Notice which ones drain you,distract you, or make you feel
tense. Notice if it's thelighting, the clutter, the
(17:59):
color, maybe a sound. Is it thelack of softness?
Does it need more greenery? Ifyou work from home, think about
your setup. Can you move yourdesk closer to a window or add a
lamp with warm light instead ofrelying on an overhead fixture?
Maybe bring in a plant or pieceof fabric that feels good to
touch. And here's the thing.
(18:20):
Almost none of this requiresmoney. You can rearrange
furniture you already have toimprove flow and light. You can
take cuttings from a friend'splant and propagate them in
water. Swap a harsh overheadbulb for a softer one from
another room. You can hangfabric that you already own, a
scarf, a sheet, or a piece ofclothing just to soften a wall
(18:41):
or filter light.
You can move objects that matterto you into your line of sight.
Libraries often have free passesto museum and botanical gardens
if you need beauty outside yourhome. Parks are free, and
walking through neighborhoodswith architecture or gardens you
love costs nothing. If you livein a space you don't fully
control, like a dorm, anapartment, or a shared house,
(19:04):
carve out a sensory corner justfor yourself. Maybe it's a chair
with a soft blanket, a smallshelf with objects that matter
to you, photos, postcards, orart printed from free online
museum collections, a playlistthat pairs with a certain kind
of light, string lights orcandles, if they're allowed, can
completely change how your spacefeels for just a few dollars.
(19:27):
Even cleaning and decluttering,removing things that stress you
out, creates aesthetic andpsychological relief without
cost at all. This isn't aboutperfection or Pinterest
aesthetics. It's about creatingalignment between your
environment and your nervoussystem. Your brain is constantly
asking, am I safe here? Can Irest here?
(19:48):
And can I focus here? And whenthe answer is yes to all three,
everything else gets easier.Your body relaxes and your mind
clears. You have more emotionalcapacity for things that
actually matter. And if you'reneurodivergent, chronically ill,
or recovering from trauma, thiswork isn't optional.
(20:08):
It's survival. Because when yoursensory processing is different,
when your nervous system is morereactive, when your baseline
stress is already high, yourenvironment becomes even more
important. You're not beingdifficult. You're not being high
maintenance. You're respondingto real sensory input that
genuinely affects your abilityto function.
Advocating for spaces thatsupport you isn't self
(20:31):
indulgence. It's selfpreservation. I'll close by
saying aesthetics aren'tfrivolous. They're functional.
They shape your energy, clarity,and resilience.
They help you build a life thatfeels livable, so pay attention.
Notice what helps you. And thenas much as you're able, start
building more of that into yourworld because you deserve to
(20:51):
move through spaces that makeyou feel good. Not someday, not
after you've earned it, rightnow. Thanks for listening to
PsyberSpace.
I'm your host, Leslie Poston,signing off. As always, until
next time, stay curious, anddon't forget to subscribe so you
never miss an episode, and maybesend this to a friend if you
think they'd enjoy it.
Welcome back to PsyberSpace. I'm your host,
Leslie Poston. Recently, Italked about the psychological
benefits of tiny pleasures,little micro joys. This week,
we're talking about a somewhatrelated topic, Why that cafe
with the plants and the sunlightmakes your latte taste better.
You know the one I'm talkingabout.
Maybe it's got warm wood, gentlelighting, plants hanging from
(00:36):
the ceiling, soft music in thebackground, or live music. The
coffee probably tastes the sameas it does at the gas station
down the road, but somehow itfeels better. You're more at
ease. You might even have agreat idea while you're sitting
there, so you linger and youfeel good. That's not marketing.
That's not a trick. That's yourbrain responding to
(00:56):
environmental cues in ways thatgenuinely change your
experience. Today's episodeexplores the psychology of
everyday aesthetics. Not justart museums or fancy
architecture, but the ordinaryvisual and sensory details that
shape our emotions, our focus,and our sense of well-being.
I'll dig into the science behindour response to beauty, the role
(01:19):
of color and light, how form andtexture affect cognition, and
why design either supports ordisrupts our ability to regulate
emotion.
This isn't about aesthetics asluxury, It's about aesthetics as
psychology. So let's get intoit. Let's start with something
(01:40):
familiar. You walk into a cafe.Maybe it's that cozy spot with
soft chairs, warm lighting, andplants in the windows I just
mentioned.
Or maybe it's a Turkish coffeehouse with ornate tiles, copper
pots, the smell of cardamom.Maybe it's a hip hop cafe like
Deadstock in Portland wheresneaker culture meets community
(02:01):
building, art covers the walls,and the music pulses with
intention. The specifics vary,but the effect is the same.
Somehow you feel better. Thedrink tastes better, and you
want to stay.
This isn't the placebo effect inthe traditional sense, it's
perception. Your environmentgenuinely changes your
(02:21):
experience of flavor, comfort,and emotion. Research shows that
ambient light, color,temperature, and sound all
influence how we experience whatwe eat and drink. Your brain is
constantly absorbing cues fromyour surroundings whether you
consciously notice them or not.When those cues signal safety,
(02:42):
warmth, and care or vibrancy,immunity, and identity, your
nervous system relaxes.
Your sensory systems become morereceptive. This phenomenon
extends beyond coffee shops.Think about how different you
feel in a well lit office withplants versus a windowless
cubicle farm with flashingfluorescent lights. Or how a
(03:04):
cluttered beige waiting roommakes time feel slower and your
anxiety sharper. The spaces weinhabit don't just provide
shelter.
They actively shape how wethink, feel, and function. And
that's what this episode isabout: the hidden psychological
power of aesthetics in oureveryday lives. And here's the
thing. You don't need a degreein interior design to understand
(03:27):
this or use it. You just need topay attention to what your
nervous system is alreadytelling you because your body
knows when a space feels good.
It's been tracking safety andcomfort through environmental
cues since you were born. Thequestion is whether you're
listening. I got the idea forthis episode from a cultural
(03:50):
shift in language on TikTok. Inoticed that some of the offered
generations were starting to usethe word aesthetic as a verb or
as a descriptor, like that's soaesthetic or let's get
aesthetic. And I was sointrigued by that that I wanted
to dive into the psychology ofaesthetics.
When most people hearaesthetics, they think of art
(04:11):
galleries, museums, orbeautifully designed homes
featured in magazines. But inpsychology, especially
environmental psychology,aesthetics means something
broader and more ordinary. It'sabout the sensory impact of
design choices in all the placeswe actually spend our time.
Everyday aesthetics includes howyour bedroom is arranged, the
(04:33):
way the sunlight hits your deskin the morning, the color of a
cereal box on your table, thesound design in an app you love,
the font on a street sign, thegraffiti on a street sign, the
texture of the chair you'resitting in right now. These are
not neutral details.
They're constantly influencinghow safe we feel, how alert or
(04:55):
relaxed we are, and how muchcognitive energy we have
available. That makes aestheticsdeeply psychological even when
it doesn't feel profound.Everyday aesthetics also doesn't
mean expensive taste or curatedminimalism. It means the small
accumulated visual and sensoryexperiences that shape our mood,
condition, and behavior. Achild's brightly colored
(05:18):
bedroom, a cluttered kitchencounter, a hospital corridor, or
a subway station are allaesthetics.
These details might not registerconsciously, but your brain
reacts anyway. Your heart rateshifts, your cortisol levels
change, and your intention spanexpands or contracts based on
what you're seeing, hearing, andtouching. This is why two people
(05:41):
can have completely differentemotional responses to the exact
same space. What feels calmingto you might feel sterile or
boring to someone else. Whatfeels cozy to one person might
feel claustrophobic to anotherwhen a minimalist meets a
maximalist.
It can be interesting. Aestheticpreferences are shaped by
culture, memory,neurodivergence, trauma, and
(06:04):
individual sensory processing.But across all that variation,
there are some consistentpatterns in what helps people
feel grounded, safe, and capableof focus. And that's what
environmental psychologystudies. There's a field called
neuroaesthetics that studies howour brains respond to beauty.
(06:25):
When we perceive something asbeautiful, whether it's a
painting, landscape, or even awell designed object, specific
areas of our brain light up. Oneof those areas is the
orbitofrontal cortex, which isinvolved in decision making,
reports processing, andemotional regulation. Another is
the insula, which integratessensory information with
(06:46):
emotional states. The visualcortex obviously plays a role
too, but it's not working alone.What's fascinating is that
aesthetic pleasure isn't justabstract or intellectual.
It's embodied. It shows up inyour heart rate, your cortisol
levels, your attention span, andeven your immune function.
Research by neuroscientistsZechi and others has shown that
(07:08):
when people view art or beauty,their brains respond in ways
similar to when they eat goodfood or listen to music they
love. Dopamine gets released,and the default mode network the
part of your brain involved indaydreaming, self reflection,
and meaning making, becomes moreactive. This is why beauty can
feel nourishing.
It activates systems designed topromote well-being, connection,
(07:30):
and rest. Even fleeting exposureto beautiful or calming imagery
can reduce stress and improvecognitive performance. One study
found that patients recoveringfrom surgery healed faster if
they had a view of trees fromtheir hospital window compared
to patients who just looked at abrick wall. Another found that
office workers with access tonatural light reported better
(07:52):
mood, sleep, and focus thanthose in windowless
environments. And remote workersreport high levels of
satisfaction in part becausethey control their own working
environment.
Your brain treats beauty, or atleast certain kinds of beauty,
as a signal that you're in asafe, resource rich environment.
And when your brain gets thatsignal, it allows you to relax,
(08:13):
think more broadly, and engagemore creatively. That's not
frivolous. That's survival.Because humans evolved in
environments where beauty oftencorrelated with safety water,
greenery, shelter, andcommunity.
We're still wired to respond tothose cues even when they show
up in a cafe or your livingroom. Let's break down some of
(08:35):
the specific ingredients thatmake up aesthetic experience.
Light, for example, is one ofthe most powerful environmental
variables affecting mood andcognition. Natural light
regulates circadian rhythms,which control sleep, alertness,
and hormone production. Exposureto daylight during the day
improves sleep quality at nightand reduces symptoms of
(08:56):
depression.
Warm, dim lighting in theevening signals your brain that
it's time to wind down. Butharsh overhead fluorescent
lighting? That can increaseanxiety, reduce focus, and even
trigger headaches or sensoryoverload, especially for
neurodivergent people. Lightingisn't just about visibility.
It's about tone, mood, andnervous system regulation.
(09:19):
This is why a softly lit roomfeels intimate and a brightly
lit office feels sterile. Yourbrain is reading the light and
making assumptions about safetyand social context. Color also
matters, although it's moreculturally variable than we
sometimes assume. Studies haveshown that blue tones can
promote calmness and focus,which is why so many hospitals
(09:41):
and schools use blue in theirdesign. Red and orange tend to
raise arousal and alertness,which can be useful in short
bursts but exhausting over time.
Green is often associated withcreativity and restoration,
perhaps because of itsconnection to nature. But
individual and culturaldifferences mean there is no one
(10:02):
size fits all color palette forwell-being. What feels
energizing in one culturalcontext, like the vibrant
yellows and magentas of a SouthAsian celebration or the rich
golds and reds of a Chinese NewYear, might feel overwhelming in
another. The key is alignmentwith your own nervous system and
cultural identity, not adherenceto some universal aesthetic
(10:24):
standard. Texture and form areequally important.
Soft fabrics and organictextures like wood or stone tend
to increase comfort and reducetension. Smooth, sleek surfaces
can feel modern and clean, butthey can also feel cold or
impersonal if they're overused.Even the shapes of furniture and
(10:44):
architecture matter. Researchshows that people generally find
curved edges and rounded formsmore pleasant and less stressful
than sharp angles and harshlines. This is probably because
angular, jagged shapes signal apotential threat.
They look like weapons, clips,predators. Our brains are always
scanning for danger, and designcues can help us decide whether
(11:07):
we're safe or on edge. We don'tjust react to beauty in the
moment. We encode it. Beautifulor emotionally resonant
environments create stronger,more detailed memories.
The cozy bookshop with thestring lights and the smell of
old paper might become a comfortanchor you return to in your
(11:27):
mind during stressful times. Asterile, disorganized office
might be remembered as cold,alienating, or even traumatic if
you experience somethingdifficult there. The way a space
looks becomes part of the storywe tell about it. Aesthetics
help shape our narrative memory,which is a big part of identity
formation and meaning making.This is especially true for
(11:50):
children whose early memoriesare often encoded alongside
vivid sensory details, The colorof their favorite blanket, the
pattern of wallpaper in theirgrandma's house, the way light
looked through a certain window.
These aren't just backgrounddetails. They're part of how we
understand who we are and wherewe're from. Aesthetic elements
also serve as emotional anchors.When you're feeling anxious or
(12:13):
overwhelmed, familiar sensorycues can help you regulate. This
is why people create comfortspaces.
A reading nook, a favorite cafe,a particular playlist paired
with dim lighting. These ritualsuse aesthetic consistency to
signal safety to your nervoussystem. For me, when I'm feeling
anxious, I bake some of mygrandma's cookies because it
(12:35):
brings me right back to herkitchen, which is a comforting
place to me. Your brain learns,when I'm in this space with this
light and this texture, maybethese smells, I can relax. And
that learning is powerful, andit could be intentionally
cultivated.
In trauma therapy, there's aconcept called environmental
anchoring, where therapists helpclients create or identify
(12:58):
spaces that support nervoussystem regulation. This might
involve changing the lighting ina bedroom, adding soft textures,
or removing clutter thattriggers stress. The goal isn't
to make things pretty in asuperficial way it's to make the
environment legible and safe tothe body. Because when your
surroundings feel chaotic, yourinternal state often follows.
(13:20):
Now let's talk about theopposite.
Poorly designed spaces don'tjust look unpleasant, they
create psychological friction.Offices with no windows at all,
beige walls, overheadfluorescence, and loud HVAC
systems create low level chronicstress. This kind of stress
(13:40):
isn't dramatic or acute, it'ssubtle. But it accumulates.
Chronic exposure toaesthetically harsh or chaotic
environments makes it harder toconcentrate, regulate emotion,
and stay motivated.
It also makes it harder to thinkcreatively. In hospitals,
sterile and overly clinicalenvironments have been shown to
(14:01):
slow patient recovery andincrease reports of pain. In
schools, classrooms with poorlighting, no natural elements,
and high visual cluttercontribute to distraction,
behavioral issues, and loweracademic performance. In
workplaces, those windowlessoffices we talked about are
linked to higher rates ofburnout and lower job
(14:21):
satisfaction. This isn't aboutbeing too sensitive or needing
everything to be aestheticallyperfect.
It's about cognitive load. Whenyour environment is constantly
sending signals of discomfort,threat, or overstimulation, your
brain has to work harder just tomaintain baseline function. That
leaves less energy for the tasksyou're actually trying to do,
(14:42):
whether that's learning,working, healing, or connecting
with others. We live in aculture that often separates
function and form as if they'reindependent variables. But when
form actively harms cognitiveand emotional function, that
separation doesn't hold.
Bad design isn't just ugly it'sdisabling. And the people most
(15:02):
affected are often those who arealready people with sensory
processing differences, peoplerecovering from trauma, people
living in under resourcedenvironments who don't have the
option to leave or to redesigntheir spaces. There's a growing
movement to design spaces thatactively support emotional and
(15:24):
physical health. This includestrauma informed architecture,
which considers how designchoices affect people who've
experienced trauma Things likevisibility, controllability,
predictability, and sensorymodulation. It includes
biophilic design, which bringsnatural elements like plants,
natural light, water features,and organic materials into our
(15:46):
built environment.
And it includes frameworks likethe well building standard,
which integrates mental healthinto design metrics by focusing
on air quality, light levels,noise reduction, and spatial
layout. Research byenvironmental psychologist Roger
Ulrich and others has shown thateven small aesthetic
interventions can havemeasurable health effects.
(16:07):
Patients with a view of natureheal faster. Workers with access
to daylight report better sleepand mood. Students in classrooms
with natural light and warmcolors perform better on tests.
These same principles hold truein our homes, schools,
hospitals, and workplaces.Design is never neutral. Every
choice affects someone's nervoussystem, attention, and emotional
(16:29):
capacity. This doesn't meanevery space needs to look like a
wellness retreat or aScandinavian design magazine. It
means paying attention to theimpact of design choices on the
people who use those spaces,especially people with different
sensory needs, culturalbackgrounds, and lived
experiences.
That means recognizing thataccessibility includes sensory
(16:50):
accessibility and that mentalhealth support can be built into
the walls, lighting, and layoutof a room. User experience
design follows similarprinciples. Good UX reduces
cognitive friction and helpspeople feel calm and in control.
Bad UX creates frustration andfatigue. The stakes might seem
(17:14):
lower than hospital design, butthe psychological principles are
the same.
Design either supports ordisrupts regulation. And since
we spend hours a day staring atscreens, digital aesthetics
matter just as much as physicalones. So what does this mean for
your life? You don't need tolive in an architectural
(17:37):
masterpiece. You don't needfancy furniture or a perfectly
curated home.
What you do need is awarenessand alignment. Start noticing
which environments help youthink, feel safe, or rest.
Notice which ones drain you,distract you, or make you feel
tense. Notice if it's thelighting, the clutter, the
(17:59):
color, maybe a sound. Is it thelack of softness?
Does it need more greenery? Ifyou work from home, think about
your setup. Can you move yourdesk closer to a window or add a
lamp with warm light instead ofrelying on an overhead fixture?
Maybe bring in a plant or pieceof fabric that feels good to
touch. And here's the thing.
(18:20):
Almost none of this requiresmoney. You can rearrange
furniture you already have toimprove flow and light. You can
take cuttings from a friend'splant and propagate them in
water. Swap a harsh overheadbulb for a softer one from
another room. You can hangfabric that you already own, a
scarf, a sheet, or a piece ofclothing just to soften a wall
(18:41):
or filter light.
You can move objects that matterto you into your line of sight.
Libraries often have free passesto museum and botanical gardens
if you need beauty outside yourhome. Parks are free, and
walking through neighborhoodswith architecture or gardens you
love costs nothing. If you livein a space you don't fully
control, like a dorm, anapartment, or a shared house,
(19:04):
carve out a sensory corner justfor yourself. Maybe it's a chair
with a soft blanket, a smallshelf with objects that matter
to you, photos, postcards, orart printed from free online
museum collections, a playlistthat pairs with a certain kind
of light, string lights orcandles, if they're allowed, can
completely change how your spacefeels for just a few dollars.
(19:27):
Even cleaning and decluttering,removing things that stress you
out, creates aesthetic andpsychological relief without
cost at all. This isn't aboutperfection or Pinterest
aesthetics. It's about creatingalignment between your
environment and your nervoussystem. Your brain is constantly
asking, am I safe here? Can Irest here?
(19:48):
And can I focus here? And whenthe answer is yes to all three,
everything else gets easier.Your body relaxes and your mind
clears. You have more emotionalcapacity for things that
actually matter. And if you'reneurodivergent, chronically ill,
or recovering from trauma, thiswork isn't optional.
(20:08):
It's survival. Because when yoursensory processing is different,
when your nervous system is morereactive, when your baseline
stress is already high, yourenvironment becomes even more
important. You're not beingdifficult. You're not being high
maintenance. You're respondingto real sensory input that
genuinely affects your abilityto function.
Advocating for spaces thatsupport you isn't self
(20:31):
indulgence. It's selfpreservation. I'll close by
saying aesthetics aren'tfrivolous. They're functional.
They shape your energy, clarity,and resilience.
They help you build a life thatfeels livable, so pay attention.
Notice what helps you. And thenas much as you're able, start
building more of that into yourworld because you deserve to
(20:51):
move through spaces that makeyou feel good. Not someday, not
after you've earned it, rightnow. Thanks for listening to
PsyberSpace.
I'm your host, Leslie Poston,signing off. As always, until
next time, stay curious, anddon't forget to subscribe so you
never miss an episode, and maybesend this to a friend if you
think they'd enjoy it.
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