Why the Human Brain Likes High Ceilings

Homebuyers tend to prefer homes above the standard eight-foot ceiling, Fast Co. Design reports. But why?

A study led by psychologist Oshin Vartanian of the University of Toronto-Scarborough found that our brains tie high ceilings to a psychological sense of freedom.

In addition, the team also looked at the brain activity of research subjects who were placed under a neuroimaging scanner as they reviewed pictures of interiors. They found that the majority of respondents labeled a space with high ceilings as “beautiful.”

“Such rooms promote visuospatial exploration,” Vartanian tells Fast Co. Design. “At the same time they prompt us to think more freely. This could be a rather potent combination for inducing positive feelings.”

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