Bhat and associates evaluated the effects of standing on cognitive performance. They report that “The present study investigated the effects of attending lectures in sitting and standing postures on executive function of young adults. . . . Attending a lecture in a standing posture was found to improve executive function (response inhibition) measured with reaction times (for incongruent stimuli) and ERPs [event related potentials].
Standing might improve executive function compared to sitting among young adults in a simulated lecture environment.”
Mayur Bhat, Keshab Dehury, Baskaran Chandrasekaran, Hari Palanisamy, and Ashokan Arumugam. 2022. “Does Standing Alter Reaction Times and Event Related Potentials Compared to Sitting in Young Adults? A Counterbalanced, Crossover Trial.” Theoretical Issues in Ergonomics Science, vol. 23, no. 6, pp. 663-686, https://doi.org/10.1080/1463922X.2022.2033877
Sally Augustin, PhD, a cognitive scientist, is the editor of Research Design Connections (www.researchdesignconnections.com), a monthly subscription newsletter and free daily blog, where recent and classic research in the social, design, and physical sciences that can inform designers’ work are presented in straightforward language. Readers learn about the latest research findings immediately, before they’re available elsewhere. Sally, who is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association, is also the author of Place Advantage: Applied Psychology for Interior Architecture (Wiley, 2009) and, with Cindy Coleman, The Designer’s Guide to Doing Research: Applying Knowledge to Inform Design (Wiley, 2012). She is a principal at Design With Science (www.designwithscience.com) and can be reached at sallyaugustin@designwithscience.com.