selfXpandIEQ – Development of an approach towards eliciting and measuring selfexpansion experiences through novelty/variety in the workplace environment

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Marcel Schweiker
• Subject Area: Human Factors, Ergonomics, Human-Machine Systems ; Architecture, Building and Construction History, Construction Research, Sustainable Building Technology
• Term: since 2025
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 560221298

The investigation of the effects of introducing novelty and variety of lighting conditions and thermal perception as environmental resources in the built and lived environment for increasing occupant well-being and work engagement has been overlooked so far. By considering the process of self-expansion as a mediating factor between the built environment and its effects on occupants, the project acknowledges an important psychological process which has until now been neglected in research on the effects of the built environment on occupants’ behaviours and psychological states such as work-engagement and well-being. Due to its scope, this project will advance current knowledge on these topics, and methodological approaches, thereby laying groundwork for further research. Furthermore, insights from this project may lead to the development of practical approaches to counter occupational health and well-being related maladies such as burnout and instead help to move towards fostering health-promoting indoor environmental design considerations that benefit both organizations and individuals alike. More specific, the aim of this project is to significantly advance the exploration of beneficial effects of indoor environmental conditions in the workplace by investigating the effects of the experience of novelty and variety in lighting conditions and thermal perception as environmental resources on affect, alertness, vitality, physiological response, self-expansion, and work engagement. Therefore, a new theoretical framework is proposed, which extends on the framework based on associations identified in the literature and will guide the research design and analyses of this project. This extended framework specifies the psychological responses to be investigated as affect, subjective vitality, and alertness. Additionally, it includes possible moderating effects of satisfaction/frustration of the need for novelty, and self-expansion preferences. As, this project will be entering a new territory by introducing the concept of self-expansion to the indoor environmental domain, it will be required to develop and validate measurement instruments for assessing the construct of interest. As its primary objective, this project aims to identify whether variety in perception of lighting and/or in thermal conditions constitute environmental resources that enhance work engagement and well-being by inducing self-expansion experiences. As secondary objective, it will be tested whether the relationship between the workplace environment and self-expansion is mediated by affect, alertness, vitality, and physiological response.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants