AUTHOR=Eremenko Julia , Kosonogov Vladimir , Aksiotis Vladislav , Moiseeva Victoria , Obukhova Anastasia , Godovanets Alisa , Zinchenko Oksana , Klucharev Vasily , Shestakova Anna 

TITLE=Neurophysiological study of consumer emotional reactions in a simulated multisensory retail environment

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Human Neuroscience

VOLUME=Volume 19 - 2025

YEAR=2025

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/human-neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2025.1635673

DOI=10.3389/fnhum.2025.1635673

ISSN=1662-5161

ABSTRACT=IntroductionEmotions play a crucial role in shaping consumer experiences and decisions. Neurophysiological tools offer objective markers of emotional reactions in multisensory environments, where positive valence promotes approach behavior and negative valence fosters avoidance.MethodsWe applied the Osgood semantic differential (SD) to establish correspondences between visual, auditory, and olfactory stimuli and target emotions relevant to retail zoning. Based on SD results, we selected stimuli to create multisensory environments. These were presented in immersive virtual reality (VR) to 27 participants. Emotional responses were assessed via heart rate (HR), heart rate variability (HRV), and electrodermal activity (EDA).ResultsSD analysis identified cross-modal associations between sensory stimuli and retail zones, allowing refinement of semantic positioning. VR experiments revealed that HRV significantly increased in pleasant environments, indicating enhanced parasympathetic activation. HR and EDA showed no significant correlation with emotional valence, though both displayed trends toward reduction in pleasant conditions.DiscussionOur findings suggest that HRV is a reliable physiological marker of consumers’ approach behavior in multisensory retail environments, whereas HR and EDA are less sensitive. Combining SD with VR-based neurophysiological assessment enables objective evaluation of emotional zoning strategies, offering a scientifically grounded alternative to intuitive design practices for optimizing consumer experience.