Unveiling the effect of visual openness on engagement and creativity through electroencephalograms

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the effect of visual openness on cognitive function, specifically creativity and engagement. This study, grounded in cognitive load theory, involved the collection of real-time electroencephalogram data from participants undertaking engagement and creativity tasks at different levels of blind openness (0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%). Our multivariate analysis shows that a moderate degree of blind openness (50% and 75%) is positively associated with creativity. Further, the interaction between blind openness and engagement has a positive influence on creativity. This implies that cognitive function may be improved under an optimal level of visual openness. The findings suggest that an optimal level of visual openness in educational and workplace settings may enhance cognitive function and productivity, potentially informing the design of indoor environments. This study contributes to understanding how physical environmental factors, specifically visual openness, influence cognitive performance. Additionally, electroencephalograms provide more objective data compared with traditional self-reported measures.