How do colors, shapes, and design elements trigger emotional and cognitive responses? The study of neurodesign seeks to answer these questions by examining the interplay between sensory perception, cognition, and spatial design. A Brazilian study by Paulo Igor Faistauer (2024) used RealEye eye-tracking technology to explore how built environments influence human perception, cognition, and emotional engagement. By analyzing gaze patterns, the study revealed how certain design elements — like color, texture, and spatial layout — shape our experience of architectural spaces.
The researchers used eye-tracking to measure how participants engaged with two types of interior spaces: a neutral environment and a diverse, culturally enriched environment. Eye-tracking allowed the researchers to analyze participants' gaze patterns, focus points, and attention spans as they viewed these spaces.
Participants were exposed to two visual representations of interior environments:
Participants viewed these images for 25 seconds each, during which the eye-tracking system captured their gaze points, and fixation counts. The goal was to identify which elements of the environments attracted the most attention and which regions had the most visual engagement.
The comparison between the neutral environment and the diverse environment revealed several key findings about how design influences perception and user experience.
1. Neutral Spaces Centralize Attention
In the neutral environment, users' gaze points and fixations were mostly concentrated in the central region of the image. Without visual stimuli to draw attention, users naturally focused on the center of the space, suggesting that minimalist designs lead to a more static visual experience. This pattern aligns with findings from other studies that show people focus on central areas when visual stimuli are sparse.
2. Diverse Environments Encourage Exploration
The diverse environment, filled with rich colors, textures, and cultural symbols, resulted in significantly higher gaze dispersion. Eye-tracking heatmaps revealed that users scanned the image more dynamically, focusing on multiple areas of interest. Users' gazes followed a more exploratory pattern, shifting across different objects, colors, and textures. This indicates that more complex environments elicit greater cognitive engagement and exploration.
3. Attention is Drawn to Colors and Unique Forms
Areas of the image that featured vivid colors, contrasting shapes, and textured surfaces consistently attracted user attention. Participants’ gaze points were heavily concentrated on bright or culturally significant design elements, underscoring the importance of visual contrast in drawing attention. This insight is valuable for architects, interior designers, and marketers aiming to create spaces that capture user attention.
4. Stimulating Environments Promote Cognitive Engagement
In the diverse environment, users exhibited longer fixation durations and higher fixation counts, suggesting that these spaces required more cognitive processing. This finding aligns with theories in neurodesign, which suggest that environments rich in sensory stimuli are more likely to evoke emotional responses, promote curiosity, and leave lasting impressions. Spaces that invite exploration and sensory engagement may also trigger neuroplasticity, encouraging users to form new neural connections.
5. Minimalist Environments Reduce Sensory Load
By contrast, the neutral environment led to fewer gaze shifts and shorter fixation durations. This result supports the idea that minimalist design reduces cognitive load, making spaces feel calm, simple, and uncluttered. While this can be advantageous for productivity or relaxation, it may also reduce user engagement. Architects and designers must balance minimalism with sensory richness to achieve the desired user experience.
This study highlights the power of neurodesign in shaping how people perceive and interact with built environments. Using eye-tracking, researchers revealed how the visual complexity of an environment influences user attention, cognitive engagement, and emotional experience. The study shows that neutral spaces centralize attention, while diverse environments spark exploration and cognitive engagement.
These findings underscore the importance of intentional design choices. While minimalist spaces may create calm and order, sensory-rich environments drive exploration and deeper emotional engagement. For architects, designers, and planners, the key takeaway is clear: Design with purpose — every color, texture, and form influences user experience.
By incorporating neurodesign principles into architectural practice, professionals can create environments that not only serve functional needs but also evoke emotional connections, support well-being, and inspire exploration.
Follow the steps below to start your own experiment with RealEye:
Ready to set up your own study? Visit RealEye Support page to learn more and keep us posted on your results! 🚀