SITTING POSTURE AND COGNITIVE PERFORMANCE: A SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31848/arcade.v10i3.4601Keywords:
sitting posture, cognitive performance, attention, ergonomics, systematic review.Abstract
Poor sitting posture is suspected to affect cognitive functions such as attention and processing speed, yet empirical evidence remains inconsistent. This systematic literature review aimed to identify effective research protocols, summarize findings, and provide measurement guidelines for cognitive performance in sitting posture studies. A systematic search was conducted in Scopus, PubMed, and Google Scholar (2016–2026) using keywords related to sitting posture and cognition. Inclusion criteria were healthy adults, seated activity, and objective attention/concentration measures. From an initial 276 records, ten studies met the inclusion criteria. Results showed that upright or ergonomically supported sitting posture consistently improved processing speed (effect sizes ranging from d= 0.30 to 0.42) and reduced reaction time compared to slumped posture. Selective attention improved with upright posture or active chairs (e.g., CoreChair, seated whole-body vibration), whereas higher‑order executive functions (switching, updating, multitasking) were not significantly affected across the reviewed studies. Most studies found that sitting longer than 90 minutes was associated with increased cognitive errors, with age and daily working hours acting as moderators. In conclusion, upright ergonomic sitting benefits processing speed and selective attention. Effective protocols include 15–30 minutes testing duration, standardized tasks (Stroop, flanker, d2‑R), and baseline posture control. Adjusting seat depth, using active chairs, or providing ergonomic training is recommended to improve cognitive performance in workplace and educational settings.
References
Arenales Arauz, Y. L., van der Zee, E. A., Kamsma, Y. P. T., & van Heuvelen, M. J. G. (2023). Short-term effects of side-alternating whole-body vibration on cognitive function of young adults. PLoS ONE, 18(1), e0280063.
Awad, S., Debatin, T., & Ziegler, A. (2021). Embodiment: I sat, I felt, I performed – Posture effects on mood and cognitive performance. Acta Psychologica, 218, 103353.
Baker, R., Coenen, P., Howie, E., Williamson, A., & Straker, L. (2018). The short term musculoskeletal and cognitive effects of prolonged sitting during office computer work. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 15(8), 1678.
Bibbo, D., Carli, M., Conforto, S., & Battisti, F. (2019). A sitting posture monitoring instrument to assess different levels of cognitive engagement. Sensors, 19(3), 455.
Carney, D. R., Cuddy, A. J. C., & Yap, A. J. (2010). Power posing: Brief nonverbal displays affect neuroendocrine levels and risk tolerance. Psychological Science, 21(10), 1363–1368.
Chen, H.-F., & Tsai, C.-Y. (2024). The impact of school classroom chair depth and height on learning tasks. Education Sciences, 14(6), 661.
Chen, Y., Liu, L., & Zhang, X. (2022). Protocol variations in sitting posture studies: A meta-analysis. Ergonomics, 65(4), 512-527.Clark, A. (2008). Supersizing the mind: Embodiment, action, and cognitive extension. Oxford University Press.
Fox, Z. B., Hammond, L., Greenauer, N., Rhudy, M. B., & Veerabhadrappa, P. (2020). Assessing sedentary body movement with accelerometers and domain specific cognitive function during active sitting. International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics, 75, 102893.
Magnon, V., Dutheil, F., & Vallet, G. T. (2018). Sedentary behavior and cognitive function: A systematic review. Frontiers in Public Health, 6, 187.
Mohammadi, S., Mokhtarinia, H. R., Jafarpisheh, A. S., Kasaeian, A., & Osqueizadeh, R. (2018). Investigating the effects of different working postures on cognitive performance. Archives of Rehabilitation, 18(4), 268-277.
Moher, D., Liberati, A., Tetzlaff, J., & Altman, D. G. (2009). Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses: The PRISMA statement. PLoS Medicine, 6(7), e1000097.
Mottaghi, Z., Halvani, G., Jambarsang, S., & Mehrparvar, A. H. (2024). Effect of ergonomic intervention on cognitive function of office workers. Indian Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 28(1), 1-5.
Nair, S., Sagar, M., Sollers, J., III, Consedine, N., & Broadbent, E. (2015). Do slumped and upright postures affect stress responses? A randomized trial. Health Psychology, 34(6), 632-641.
Newhall, K., Johnson, M., & Carter, R. (2020). Cerebral blood flow and posture: Implications for cognitive function. Neuroergonomics, 5(2), 112-124.
Ocon, A. J., Medow, M. S., & Stewart, J. M. (2015). Cerebral blood flow and cognitive performance in orthostatic intolerance. Journal of Applied Physiology, 118(5), 599-608.
Owen, N., Healy, G. N., Matthews, C. E., & Dunstan, D. W. (2010). Too much sitting: The population health science of sedentary behavior. Exercise and Sport Sciences Reviews, 38(3), 105-113.
Peper, E., Lin, I. M., Harvey, R., & Perez, J. (2012). Increasing productivity and reducing pain through posture changes. Biofeedback, 40(3), 97-103.
Riskind, J. H., & Gotay, C. C. (1982). Physical posture: Could it have regulatory or feedback effects on motivation and emotion? Motivation and Emotion, 6(3), 273-298.
Robbins, J., Roberts, A., & Turner, M. (2019). Methodological considerations in posture-cognition research. Ergonomics in Design, 27(3), 15-22.
Robertson, M. M., Huang, Y. H., & Lee, J. (2020). Ergonomics and cognitive performance: A workplace intervention. Applied Ergonomics, 82, 102950.
Shapiro, L. (2014). The Routledge handbook of embodied cognition. Routledge.
Smith, A., Jones, B., & Davies, C. (2017). Slouched posture reduces self-reported energy and cognitive performance. Human Factors, 59(5), 762-773.
Stepper, S., & Strack, F. (1993). Proprioceptive determinants of emotional and nonemotional feelings. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 64(2), 211-220.
Triglav, J., Howe, E., Cheema, J., Dube, B., Fenske, M. J., Strzalkowski, N., & Bent, L. (2019). Physiological and cognitive measures during prolonged sitting: Comparisons between a standard and multi-axial office chair. Applied Ergonomics, 78, 176-183.
van Steenbergen, H., Wilderjans, T. F., Band, G. P. H., & Nieuwenhuis, S. T. (2024). Boosting arousal and cognitive performance through alternating posture: Insights from a multi-method laboratory study. Psychophysiology, 61, e14634.
van Uffelen, J. G. Z., Wong, J., Chau, J. Y., van der Ploeg, H. P., Riphagen, I., Gilson, N. D., Burton, N. W., Healy, G. N., Thorp, A. A., Clark, B. K., Gardiner, P. A., Dunstan, D. W., Bauman, A., Owen, N., & Brown, W. J. (2010). Occupational sitting and health risks: A systematic review. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 39(4), 379-388.
Vijayalakshmi, T., Subramanian, S. K., Dharmalingam, A., Itagi, A. B. H., Mounian, S. V., & Loganathan, S. (2023). A short term evaluation of scapular upper brace on posture and its influence on cognition and behavior among adult students. Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies, 36, 1-6.
Wilson, M. (2002). Six views of embodied cognition. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 9(4), 625-636.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Jurnal Arsitektur ARCADE
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
