In a study conducted at the University of Texas at Austin, it was discovered that pictures of living areas and rooms were able to predict with great accuracy the personality characteristics and mood of the people who live in them - especially as they age
They say home is where your heart is, and now there's scientific evidence for that. In a study conducted at the University of Texas at Austin It was discovered that pictures of living areas and rooms were able to predict with great accuracy the personality characteristics and mood of the people who live in them - especially as they age. 286 people over the age of 65 participated in the study, and the researchers photographed the rooms where they spend most of their time at home - usually the living room - to test the relationship between the design and appearance of the living space and the person's character and its effect on the level of happiness.
How do you study a person's soul based on his favorite room?
The researchers allowed external examiners to analyze the personality of each of the subjects based on the photos of the rooms taken, and they were asked to rate the room's characteristics, for example the level of brightness, cleanliness and innovation. The personality characteristics were determined according to the five factor model (the five major traits), which in psychology are 5 traits that have a significant impact on a person's personality and the way he behaves. This is a model developed by psychologists Paul Costa and Robert McRae in the 80's and 90's, according to which each person is in a different position in each of the indices: extroversion-introversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, emotional stability-neuroticism and mental openness / openness to experiences.
An extroverted character was expressed in new objects around the room and a design that encourages joy, according to the researchers, this is probably so that family and friends can be hosted in the same room. A conscientious character is associated with innovation as well as comfort, and this is probably because order and organization are associated with such a trait. Agreeableness, open-mindedness, or neuroticism were not linked to everyone's room design, but open-mindedness was more common among seniors who lived in their homes, suggesting that people who live with others likely do not express their personality in the same way by designing their living space.
The most important conclusion reached by the researchers is that when a person's living space matches their personality, their level of mental well-being increases, and this is according to reports from the subjects.
The surprising finding - a mess at home is not linked to depression
The goal of many elderly people is simply to age peacefully and comfortably in their own home, but as we age we become more limited in terms of function, for example some elderly people are unable to walk easily or climb stairs, and their homes become outdated, uncomfortable, dark and messy. The scientists claim that the disability they suffer from could be the reason why many of them suffer from a lack of energy or an inability to nurture their living environment.
But surprisingly, precisely in the elderly with limited functioning, the mess at home was linked to fewer depressive symptoms. "A mess can express an effort to demonstrate control over the environment," says Karen Fingerman, professor of human and family development at Texas State University in Austin and director of the Texas Longevity and Aging Center. "They may want to keep certain objects close at hand to compensate for their limitations."
The researchers claim that their research suggests that elderly people with functional difficulties can gain some benefit from a little help at home, and this also includes things that are not necessarily related to the functionality of the home, for example cleaning fabrics and upholstery in the living room. But cleaning and maintenance should be done in cooperation with them in order to really support them and not make it difficult for them. It must be remembered that what appears from the outside as a mess to one person is actually a precise arrangement for another person, with the aim of making his life more comfortable for him. "There is no one ideal way to create a living space," says Fingerman, "it must fit the person who lives in it."
How to design the home space to suit your character
The more you live in an environment that suits your character, the higher your level of mental well-being will be, so you should survey your environment and try to understand what requires change depending on who you are, and try to implement it and see if your feeling in your home environment improves.
If, for example, you are energetic, adventurous people and like to be around others, if possible replace old furniture that has lost its cool, and prefer furniture and elements with warm and happy colors - yellow, orange, pink or red. Even pastel colors, such as peach, light pink or lilac, can improve the mood, and in fact, the lighter and brighter the color, the more joy and optimism it will bring to you. At the same time, make sure to keep a clean and tidy house that will be suitable for entertaining. Even in spaces where you are not hosting, such as the bedroom, it is recommended that you maintain cleanliness. For example, if your mattress is dirty after many years of use, Order mattress cleaning services Or replace it with a new one.
If you are responsible and practical people with the ability to focus on your goals, prefer to keep a living environment as orderly as possible, but in an order that suits you. But another thing that you should invest in is renewing your living environment and replacing any factor that may hinder you in trying to complete your tasks, for example a swinging table or an object that takes up space and has no use or purpose. Here, too, help in the form of sofa cleaning services at the customer's home or repairs to broken objects, for example a lamp hanging loosely from the ceiling, can help you a lot.
Finally, if you don't live alone and you share your living space with other people, try to put some of your own personal touch in it that will allow it to have a closer place in your heart. This will improve your feeling at home significantly as well as your mental well-being in general, which is especially important as you approach and pass through old age. Thanks to organizing your home in a way that suits you, you can be happier people today, and just as importantly - also in the future.
The article is sponsored content courtesy of a company Clean in an instant
