Modelling the impact of indoor relative humidity on comfort and working memory: a data-driven approach using gender-specific physiological and perceptual responses

The study examines the influence of indoor relative humidity on thermal and humidity perception, working memory performance, and physiological responses, with an emphasis on gender-based differences. A data-driven model was used to predict working memory based on humidity-related preferences, identifying key physiological and perceptual factors that contributed to the prediction of cognitive performance. Sensations and preferences related to humidity and temperature, as well as heart rate and electrodermal activity (EDA), were recorded under different humidity conditions, while the Operation Span Task was employed to assess working memory. Results revealed that humidity sensation responded sensitively to a 20% change in humidity, whereas temperature sensation required a 30% change. In contrast, temperature preference shifted significantly in response to smaller humidity changes than humidity preference. Higher humidity levels increased heart rate and EDA and reduced working memory, with these effects more pronounced in males. Moreover, males’ perceptions of temperature and humidity showed significant correlations with both physiological responses and working memory, while females displayed limited correlations. Notably, the model demonstrated that working memory can be predicted from subjective humidity-related preferences rather than the actual humidity level as an input variable, underscoring the value of human perception in forecasting cognitive outcomes.