Humans’ attraction for natural environments and the processes through which humans benefit from natural stimuli are largely innate and could apply to other speciesThis review examined the evidence of nature benefits on humans in order to evaluate whether certain natural stimuli have qualities that could benefit animal welfare. The evidence that humans prefer natural environments and benefit from certain natural stimuli is strong. These nature-related benefits apply to physical and mental health and cognitive functioning. Related research suggests that humans’ attraction for natural environments and the processes through which humans benefit from natural stimuli are largely innate, meaning that they are not dependent on early experience or culture. Nature or “natural”, in the context of this review, is anything that does not originate from human activity, including natural landscapes, water bodies, sunlight, plants and other animals.
Some research suggests that children may experience more of the nature-related health and mood benefits than adults due to the children’s increased exposure to nature through play and exploration. These benefits include reduced risk of myopia and greater resilience to stressful events. Child-related research also reinforces the idea that some of humans’ attraction for and ways of benefiting from nature are innate. Young children tend to spontaneously categorize natural from human-made stimuli. Even infant humans seem to distinguish between natural and human-made stimuli without being taught. Additionally, research involving culturally diverse children from urban and rural locations, indicates that they all tend to prefer and value natural environments over built environments. This preference persists even when children are raised in degraded ecosystems. Some scholars attribute this preference to biophilia, defined as an instinctive attraction to other forms of life.
The beneficial effects of natural stimuli and the processes through which they benefit humans may be attributed to (1) therapeutic effects of specific natural products, (2) positive affective responses to stimuli that signaled safety and resources to our evolutionary ancestors, (3) attraction to environments that satisfy innate needs to explore and understand, and (4) ease of sensory processing, due to the stimuli’s “evolutionary familiarity” and/or their self-repeating properties.
Overall results of this review indicate that certain preferred natural stimuli can enhance the health and well-being of humans. Some evidence suggests that this may apply to other species, as well. If so, attention to the nature-related “sensory needs” of animals in captivity (including laboratory, farm and zoo animals) could improve their well-being. More research is needed, however, to clarify the potential animal welfare implications.
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