Cognitive processing during a green hotel exploration: EEG evidence

Background: In the last years, marketing has adopted new sustainable market strategies to limit the adverse effects of products and environments improving individuals’ living conditions and environmental well-being. The effects of adopting these new approaches have recently been investigated thanks to neuroscience’s contribution able to provide information about cognitive and emotional mechanisms related to consumers’ behaviors. Aims: In order to investigate consumer behavior towards the adoption of a sustainable approach in tourism marketing, a neuroscientific paradigm, consisting in the use of electroencephalography (EEG) to record individuals’ neural responses, has been implemented to understand individuals’ cognitive processes during the exploration of a green hotel. Methods: In particular, neural correlates of a sample of 19 healthy subjects were collected through the use of EEG, for the recording of fronto-central and temporo-parietal activity. Specifically, participants were asked to explore four different areas of the hotel (restaurant, bedroom, hall, and bar) composed of eco-friendly elements. Results: The results of the study revealed a different cortical activation concerning the activity of EEG alpha, beta, delta, and theta frequency bands during the exploration of the green hotel spaces, with an increase in temporoparietal beta and theta activity. This result underlines an increase in individuals’ attentional and cognitive processing and emotional engagement during the exploration of the environment. Conclusion:These results allow us to underline how the application of a neuroscientific paradigm is useful for investigating individuals’ attitudes and preferences to design spaces that are both ergonomic and comfortable but attentive to the issue of sustainability