Psychophysiological Effects of Touching Taiwan Domestic Woods - A Case of Taiwania cryptomerioides and Acacia confusa

• Main Authors: An-Ya Ju, 朱安雅
• Other Authors: Chia-Pin Yu
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2019
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/3m93a4

碩士 === 國立臺灣大學 === 森林環境暨資源學研究所 === 107 === Touching natural wood is empirically known to have a pleasant and comfortable feeling. Previous studies reported that comparing touching natural woods and touching artificial materials with the palm, touching woods resulted in decline of the systolic blood pressure, heart rate and induced a physiological relaxation, also in the subjective psychology responded the aspect also presents the relaxation effect. However, there is no research about psychophysiological effects of touching Taiwanese domestic woods. On the other hand, the Forestry Bureau has been actively promoting the use of domestic woods in recent years. If relevant empirical research is available, it may contribute in the promotion and application of domestic woods. Therefore, this study recorded physiological and psychological activities of 41 participants, exploring the contact between palm/soles and domestic woods, Taiwan fir (Taiwania cryptomerioides) and Acacia wood (Acacia confusa), PU-coated Taiwan fir and Acacia, wood-like plastic, and tiles as the comparison to clarify the psychological responses of touching different materials. The results of this study found the heart rate is significantly different between touching Taiwan fir and touching tile by palm. There is a significant difference in the results of high frequency (HF) of heart rate variability (HRV) between touching coated Acacia and touching Taiwan fir. Touching coated Acacia with soles, the heart rate is significantly different from that of contact with tiles, Acacia, Taiwan fir and coated Taiwan fir, and the HF value has significant differences between touching Acacia and coated Acacia wood. No matter the object is palm or soles, there are significant differences between natural materials and artificial materials when it comes to physiological feedback. For the psychological evaluation, either palm or soles, touching natural materials, the coated natural materials, and the wood-like plastic, the subjects reported it is more "comfortable", "relaxed", "natural", "warm", "rough" and "soft" than tile.