Related literature on biophilic design in retail and servicescapes
| Studies | Method/Sample | Biophilic dimension | Natural elements | Mediators | DV | Main findings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brengman et al. (2012) | Experiment, scenario-based with photographs, online consumer panel, fashion context | Symbolic/vicarious | In-store vegetation | Pleasure, stress, excitement | Approach, avoidance intentions | In a complex store interior, in-store greenery positively affected approach-avoidance intentions due to increased feelings of pleasure and reduced stress |
| Rosenbaum et al. (2016) | In-person survey with mall shoppers, mall context | Direct and symbolic/vicarious | Green area (natural lighting, fake grass) | Satisfaction, WOM, loyalty, NPS, planned expenditure | Shoppers who perceived the mall to have restorative qualities had more favourable attitudes and behavioural intentions toward the mall | |
| Rosenbaum et al. (2018) | Experiment, scenario-based with video, university students, lifestyle centre context | Symbolic/vicarious | Birds flying, fountains, plants, wooden textures, natural light | Perceived restorativeness | Participants perceived the green lifestyle centre to have restorative properties compared to a non-green lifestyle centre | |
| Purani and Kumar (2018) | Experimental design with images, hospital, restaurant and spa and bank context | Symbolic/vicarious | Greenery, natural lighting, wooden finishes | Cognitive and mood restoration | Servicescape preference | Biophilic servicescapes provide consumers with higher attention recovery, more positive affect which lead to greater preference for the environment compared to non-biophilic servicescapes |
| Rosenbaum et al. (2019) | Experimental design with videos, shoppers at a mall. Emotive EPOC + EEG | Symbolic/vicarious | Natural greenery, flying birds, waterfall | Emotions | Biophilia design stimulated neural responses associated with excitement, interest, decreased stress, engagement, attention and relaxation | |
| Ortegón-Cortázar and Royo-Vela (2019) | In-person survey with mall shoppers | Direct and indirect | Plants, green areas | Affective states (interest, mood, energy, enthusiasm, well-being) | Intention to visit | Perception of a biophilic atmosphere positively influenced affective responses and led to greater desire to visit the shopping centre |
| Kumar et al. (2020) | Online experimental design with images, university, students, architectural and design experts, fashion, restaurant and hospital context | Symbolic/vicarious | Curvilinear layouts, liveable elements, natural posters/finishes, warm lighting | Perceived attention restoration, perceived place identity (emotional and cognitive) | Servicescape preference, perceived naturalness | The indirect experience of nature can have positive effects on attention restoration, place identity and servicescape preferences of consumers |
| Esan-Ojuri and You (2021) | Online survey with photographs, snowball sampling, fashion context | Symbolic/vicarious | Spiral structure, wooden floors and shelving, plants, animal sculptures | Intention to purchase, intention to recommend | Biomorphic forms and patterns (i.e. spiral structure) and material connection with nature (wooden floors and shelving) are related to intention to purchase and recommend. Intention to recommend was higher in low (vs. high) biophilic design stores | |
| Castro et al. (2022) | Experiment, Scenario-based with photographs, Mturk and university students, electronic store, airport and counselling service context | Symbolic/vicarious | Greenery, natural light, wooden materials, blue flooring, curved lines | Connection to place, blended affective state (drive and contentment-based) | Reduced situational anxiety, retailer choice | Biophilic design elements leads to reduced situational anxiety and higher retailer choice, due to positive connection to place and blended affective reactions |
| Shin et al. (2023) | Experimental design, Prolific online consumer panel. Restaurant and hotel context | Symbolic and indirect | Indoor plants, a living wall, nature themed patterns | Aesthetic value, luxury perception | Willingness to pay a price premium | Biophilic design led to increased aesthetic value and luxury perceptions. This, in turn, improves customers’ willingness to pay a price premium |
| Sina and Wu (2023) | Experimental design. VR apparel store. Females only. University students, MTurk | Symbolic/vicarious | Greenery, warm colour lighting | Pleasure, arousal, satisfaction, purchase intention, perceived merchandise quality | Retail greenery creates more positive responses compared to non-greenery retail | |
| Vinitha et al. (2025) | Critical review of 56 servicescape studies over 33 years | Incorporated Nature (greenery/plants, air, water, natural lights, natural scents, animals, natural materials), Inspired nature (nature images, animal shapes, natural geometry, natural colours) | The review defined biophilia in servicescapes as incorporating nature (direct biophilia), inspired nature (indirect biophilia) and nature interactions (human-nature relationship) | |||
| This study | Experiment, actual supermarket, scenario-based with virtual supermarket and photographs, university students and wider population | Symbolic/vicariou | Biophilic sounds (Forest and Water) | Relaxation | Healthier food and beverage choice and sales | In a grocery shopping context, biophilic sounds led to healthier food and beverages choices due to feelings of relaxation. A positive pattern of biophilic sounds on sales was found |
| Studies | Method/Sample | Biophilic dimension | Natural elements | Mediators | DV | Main findings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Experiment, scenario-based with photographs, online consumer panel, fashion context | Symbolic/vicarious | In-store vegetation | Pleasure, stress, excitement | Approach, avoidance intentions | In a complex store interior, in-store greenery positively affected approach-avoidance intentions due to increased feelings of pleasure and reduced stress | |
| In-person survey with mall shoppers, mall context | Direct and symbolic/vicarious | Green area (natural lighting, fake grass) | Satisfaction, WOM, loyalty, NPS, planned expenditure | Shoppers who perceived the mall to have restorative qualities had more favourable attitudes and behavioural intentions toward the mall | ||
| Experiment, scenario-based with video, university students, lifestyle centre context | Symbolic/vicarious | Birds flying, fountains, plants, wooden textures, natural light | Perceived restorativeness | Participants perceived the green lifestyle centre to have restorative properties compared to a non-green lifestyle centre | ||
| Experimental design with images, hospital, restaurant and spa and bank context | Symbolic/vicarious | Greenery, natural lighting, wooden finishes | Cognitive and mood restoration | Servicescape preference | Biophilic servicescapes provide consumers with higher attention recovery, more positive affect which lead to greater preference for the environment compared to non-biophilic servicescapes | |
| Experimental design with videos, shoppers at a mall. Emotive EPOC + EEG | Symbolic/vicarious | Natural greenery, flying birds, waterfall | Emotions | Biophilia design stimulated neural responses associated with excitement, interest, decreased stress, engagement, attention and relaxation | ||
| In-person survey with mall shoppers | Direct and indirect | Plants, green areas | Affective states (interest, mood, energy, enthusiasm, well-being) | Intention to visit | Perception of a biophilic atmosphere positively influenced affective responses and led to greater desire to visit the shopping centre | |
| Online experimental design with images, university, students, architectural and design experts, fashion, restaurant and hospital context | Symbolic/vicarious | Curvilinear layouts, liveable elements, natural posters/finishes, warm lighting | Perceived attention restoration, perceived place identity (emotional and cognitive) | Servicescape preference, perceived naturalness | The indirect experience of nature can have positive effects on attention restoration, place identity and servicescape preferences of consumers | |
| Online survey with photographs, snowball sampling, fashion context | Symbolic/vicarious | Spiral structure, wooden floors and shelving, plants, animal sculptures | Intention to purchase, intention to recommend | Biomorphic forms and patterns (i.e. spiral structure) and material connection with nature (wooden floors and shelving) are related to intention to purchase and recommend. Intention to recommend was higher in low (vs. high) biophilic design stores | ||
| Experiment, Scenario-based with photographs, Mturk and university students, electronic store, airport and counselling service context | Symbolic/vicarious | Greenery, natural light, wooden materials, blue flooring, curved lines | Connection to place, blended affective state (drive and contentment-based) | Reduced situational anxiety, retailer choice | Biophilic design elements leads to reduced situational anxiety and higher retailer choice, due to positive connection to place and blended affective reactions | |
| Experimental design, Prolific online consumer panel. Restaurant and hotel context | Symbolic and indirect | Indoor plants, a living wall, nature themed patterns | Aesthetic value, luxury perception | Willingness to pay a price premium | Biophilic design led to increased aesthetic value and luxury perceptions. This, in turn, improves customers’ willingness to pay a price premium | |
| Experimental design. VR apparel store. Females only. University students, MTurk | Symbolic/vicarious | Greenery, warm colour lighting | Pleasure, arousal, satisfaction, purchase intention, perceived merchandise quality | Retail greenery creates more positive responses compared to non-greenery retail | ||
| Critical review of 56 servicescape studies over 33 years | Incorporated Nature (greenery/plants, air, water, natural lights, natural scents, animals, natural materials), Inspired nature (nature images, animal shapes, natural geometry, natural colours) | The review defined biophilia in servicescapes as incorporating nature (direct biophilia), inspired nature (indirect biophilia) and nature interactions (human-nature relationship) | ||||
| This study | Experiment, actual supermarket, scenario-based with virtual supermarket and photographs, university students and wider population | Symbolic/vicariou | Biophilic sounds (Forest and Water) | Relaxation | Healthier food and beverage choice and sales | In a grocery shopping context, biophilic sounds led to healthier food and beverages choices due to feelings of relaxation. A positive pattern of biophilic sounds on sales was found |
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