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The Impact of the Built Environment on Human Well-Being: The Role of Architectural Detail as a Carrier of Perceptual Complexity – A Scoping Review and Synthesis of Selected Studies in Environmental Psychology and Neuroarchitecture
 
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Niezależny badacz, -, Polska
 
 
Submission date: 2026-03-07
 
 
Acceptance date: 2026-07-01
 
 
Publication date: 2026-11-05
 
 
Corresponding author
Julia Wronkowska   

Niezależny badacz, -, Polska
 
 
KAiU 2026;LXXI(1)
 
KEYWORDS
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ABSTRACT
This paper synthesises selected research findings on the role of detail in the context of perceptual complexity and its multifaceted impact on human well-being. The study was conducted as a scoping review. Its primary objective is to map existing research, key concepts, and methods, as well as to identify research gaps. Electronic databases (Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, Dimensions) and the Google Scholar search engine were queried using specific keyword strings and inclusion criteria. Furthermore, the review incorporates selected contextual publications identified through bibliography analysis and supplementary searches. The article discusses key studies and concepts from environmental psychology, neuroarchitecture, and architectural theory that establish the theoretical foundation of the analysed subject. It presents potentially negative consequences for psychophysical well-being resulting from factors such as the monotony of architectural detail, the oversimplification of contemporary architectural forms, and the lack of an organised, complex structure. Synthesising these findings allowed for the identification of areas requiring in-depth analysis and further research into the optimal degree of complexity in architectural forms.
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