Introduction: The aesthetic preferences of people can determine the success of a design and are often closely related to design features. The discovery of designs that match user preferences can provide a reference for designers. Ceramic tiles are widely used in environmental design; however, little attention has been paid to the aesthetic preferences of people for tiles. This study aimed to explore the relationship between aesthetic preferences for tile design and neural responses.Materials and methods: In this study, two groups of tiles with different preference levels were randomly presented to 16 participants, and their electroencephalograms were recorded. The mean amplitudes of event-related potentials were analyzed by ANOVA.Results: The results showed that: (1) the aesthetic preferences of people for tiles could modulate brain activity; (2) tiles that people liked triggered higher N100 amplitudes; and (3) tiles that people disliked triggered higher P200 and late positive potential (LPP) amplitudes.Discussion: These results suggest that N100, P200, and LPP are significantly related to the aesthetic preferences of people for ceramic tiles. The difference in N100 and P200 amplitudes indicates that participants developed aesthetic perceptions of the tiles in the early and middle stages of vision and formed different attention allocations to tiles with varying levels of aesthetic preference; in the middle and late stages of visual processing, the difference in the LPP amplitude indicates that the impression of people for tiles is further deepened in the later stage, forming a top-down emotion-driven evaluation. Exploring the relationship between the aesthetic preferences of people and neural responses is significant in establishing objective aesthetic judgment indicators for tiles and understanding the process of aesthetic cognition. This study provides relevant information for quantitative aesthetic assessments of environmental design, interior design, and marketing involving ceramic tiles.

Background: Ceramic tiles are popular because of their various forms, and they are often used to decorate the environment. However, few studies have applied objective methods to explore the implicit preference and visual attention of people toward ceramic tile features. Using event-related potential technology can provide neurophysiological evidence for the study and applications of tiles.Materials and methods: This study explored the influence of pattern, lightness, and color system factors of ceramic tiles on the preferences of people using a combination of subjective questionnaires and event-related potential (ERP) technology. Twelve different conditions of tiles (2 × 3 × 2) were used as stimuli. EEG data were collected from 20 participants while they watched the stimuli. Subjective preference scores and average ERPs were analyzed using analysis of variance and correlation analysis.Results: (1) Pattern, lightness, and color system factors significantly affected the subjective preference scores for tiles; the unpatterned tiles, light-toned tiles, and warm-colored tiles received higher preference scores. (2) The preferences of people for different features of tiles moderated ERP amplitudes. (3) The light-toned tiles with a high preference score caused a greater N100 amplitude than the medium-toned and dark-toned tiles; and the patterned tiles and warm-colored tiles with low preference scores induced greater P200 and N200 amplitudes.Discussion: In the early stage of visual processing, light-toned tiles attracted more attention, possibly because of the positive emotional effects related to the preference. The greater P200 and N200 elicited by the patterned and neutral-colored tiles in the middle stage of visual processing indicates that patterned and neutral-colored tiles attracted more attention. This may be due to negativity bias, where more attention is allocated to negative stimuli that people strongly dislike. From the perspective of cognitive processes, the results indicate that the lightness of ceramic tiles is the factor that people first detect, and the visual processing of pattern and color system factors of ceramic tiles belong to a higher level of visual processing. This study provides a new perspective and relevant information for assessing the visual characteristics of tiles for environmental designers and marketers involved in the ceramic tiles industry.

Background: While numerous studies have examined the restorative effects of natural elements in indoor environments, limited attention has been given to the role of natural analogues. This study investigates the restorative effects of nature-themed artwork, a common natural analogue in biophilic design.Materials and methods: Virtual reality (VR) was employed to simulate five work environments: rooms featuring nature-themed artwork, a blank foreground, an architectural window view, a natural window view, and a green plant wall, respectively. Measuring content included electroencephalography (EEG), blood pressure, heart rate, and restorative evaluations to compare the effects of these environments on physiological and psychological responses across conditions.Results: Nature-themed artwork significantly reduced systolic blood pressure (p < 0.05), increased alpha wave activity [frontal, central, and occipital regions (p < 0.05), and elicited higher restorative evaluation scores compared to the blank foreground and architectural window view]. Positive correlations were found between α power spectral density (PSD) values and restorative evaluation scores (p < 0.05). Additionally, no significant differences were found between the data induced by nature-themed artworks, the natural window view, and the green plant wall.Discussion: The results demonstrate that nature-themed artwork exerts restorative effects comparable to direct natural elements (natural window views and green plant walls), surpassing both blank walls and architectural views. This underscores its potential as an effective natural analogue. This study provides reference information for designers involved in interior natural decoration, considering physiological, neural, and psychological aspects.

Background: Ceramic tiles are widely used in workplace environments, and their visual characteristics can influence users’ perceptual and cognitive experiences. However, research remains limited on how ceramic tile properties affect visual comfort, cognitive performance, and related neural responses. Method: This study examines six common types of mass-produced ceramic tiles, employing virtual reality (VR) and electroencephalogram (EEG) technologies to evaluate visual comfort and cognitive performance. A 2 (patterned vs. non-patterned) × 3 (light-toned, medium-toned, dark-toned) factorial design was used to construct six immersive VR environments through 3D modeling. Data on visual comfort ratings, cognitive behavioral performance, and EEG responses were collected from participants in each environment. The effects of tile’s pattern and brightness on visual comfort, cognitive outcomes, and neural activity were analyzed. Result: The findings indicate that environments with non-patterned and light-toned ceramic tiles received higher visual comfort ratings and elicited increased alpha wave power spectral density, reflecting positive emotional experiences. In terms of cognitive performance, the participants had shorter reaction durations in the environments of light-toned ceramic tiles and patterned ceramic tiles, and were negatively correlated with the beta wave power spectral density values. Discussion: The results suggest that ceramic tile selection can be tailored to the functional needs of interior spaces. For instance, in relaxing settings such as lounges, tiles that enhance alpha-wave activity may be preferable, while in workspaces requiring high cognitive engagement--such as studios, meeting rooms, or offices--tiles that promote moderate beta-wave activity may be more suitable. This study provides valuable insights and evaluation methods for interior and ceramic tile designers, especially for design of Chinese region.