Impact of Bright Versus Dark Environments on Cognitive Functions in High School Students

Abstract

The research investigates the relationship between environmental lighting and cognitive performance in Saudi Arabia, concentrating on the impact of extreme illumination levels on adolescent functioning. This study examines the differences in working memory and metalinguistic awareness among male high school students subjected to both bright light and complete darkness. This study enhances the underexplored field of environmental psychology in Middle Eastern educational settings, focusing specifically on the non-image-forming effects of light on high school populations. A within-subjects, crossover experimental analysis was performed with male secondary school students in Riyadh, comparing their performance across distinct lighting environments. Participants were selected according to strict criteria including normal vision, the absence of neurological disorders, and high language proficiency to ensure task validity. We employed two standardized cognitive tasks—the Backward Digit Recall task and the Grammatical Judgement Task—to assess the modulation of executive and analytical processes. The research utilized statistical comparisons of mean performance to determine substantial disparities in cognitive function between the two lighting conditions. The results demonstrate a task-dependent relationship, as bright light significantly improved working memory while complete darkness facilitated superior metalinguistic awareness. The difference between the enhancement of memory using bright light (M = 5.02) and the facilitation of linguistic reflection using dark light (M = 15.10) implies that different cognitive domains require different levels of arousal to achieve optimal performance. This study highlights the importance of adaptive lighting in the classroom environment and the reflective inhibition model in non-Western educational environments.