Some natural environments are more psychologically beneficial than othersThis study focused on two nature-related and research-supported phenomenon experienced by many people: connectedness to nature and psychological restoration. Connectedness to nature refers to an individual’s emotional and cognitive bond to the natural world and is supported by the biophilia hypothesis suggesting that humans have an innate need to connect with nature. The concept of psychological restoration suggests that contact with nature can reduce negative emotions associated with stress and enhance positive emotions (e.g., feeling relaxed/refreshed). This study extends previous research by examining whether connectedness to nature differs according to the type and quality of a natural environment and how this relates to psychological restoration.
Researchers used data from 4515 survey responses focusing on people’s recent visit to a natural environment. Data collected included information about (1) the type and quality of the environment, (2) demographics of the respondents (including age, gender, and socioeconomic status), (3) visit characteristics (including type of activities, duration of visit, being alone or with others, and mode of transportation), and (4) psychological benefits of the visit (including connectedness to nature and psychological restoration). The psychological benefit measures were related to recollections of the participants’ experiences in nature as opposed to direct experiences in the moment. Thus, the researchers used the terms “recalled connectedness to nature” (RCN) and “recalled restoration” (RR) to indicate that responses referred to encounters that had occurred several days before completing the surveys.
On average, participants rated their RCN and their RR following visits to nature spaces relatively high. Ratings varied, however, according to the type and quality of the environments visited. Respondents recalled greater connectedness to nature and restoration following visits to rural and coastal locations, compared with urban green space, and to locations with higher environmental quality (i.e., with greater ecosystem richness). Socioeconomic status was not significantly associated with RCN, suggesting that people from all social groups recalled similar connectedness to nature. Findings also suggested a bidirectional relationship between connectedness to nature and psychological restoration -- people reported greater connectedness to nature for environments that were more restorative, and recalled feeling more restored in environments where they felt more connected.
These findings contribute to our understanding of the psychological benefits of nature visits and could be used to guide policy and management decisions by helping to prioritize protection of, and accessibility to, natural areas that confer these benefits.
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