Pleistocene hypothesis – moving Savanna perceptual preference hypothesis beyond Savanna

We provide an extension of the Savanna perceptual preference hypothesis (“Savanna Hypothesis”), supposing that interaction with landscapes offering survival advantage for human groups during evolution might have gradually evolved to permanent landscape preferences. This additional support is based on the palaeoenvironmental analysis of the spread of modern humans into Europe in the late Pleistocene and their living environments there. Our hypothesis is that the preference for park-like landscapes after African savannas experienced a kind of “refreshment” in the Pleistocene. Thus, preferences for certain types of natural settings and scenes may have a more continuous evolutionary history than previously thought. The extended Savanna Hypothesis termed “Pleistocene Hypothesis” might stimulate further work on this important topic linking human evolution and human environmental preferences

Understanding the perceived benefits of nature for creativity

Experience of nature is widely linked to well-being, including psychological restoration. Benefits to creativity have been explored in a limited number of studies which refer to theories of restorative environments as frameworks, but it is unclear which aspects of the environment and person–nature transactions are implicated in these processes. In this study, N = 20 members of the British public were interviewed regarding the relevance of natural environments for their personal and professional creative activities. Thematic analysis of interview transcripts revealed that cognitive, affective, and aesthetic appraisals were reported as directly relevant to creativity in nature, while environmental properties, sensory experiences, and the self were reported as informing these appraisals. Similarities to theories of restorative environments were observed in terms of the relevance of affect, cognition, and aesthetics. However, divergences also occurred, especially with regard to perceptions of arousal as beneficial for creativity, the importance of change in the environment, and the relevance of the self. Studies and theoretical modeling of relationships between nature and creativity should include these concepts, as well as those from theories of restorative environments.publishedVersionPeer reviewe

The relationship between perceived health and physical activity indoors, outdoors in built environments, and outdoors in nature

BACKGROUND: A body of evidence shows that both physical activity and exposure to nature are connected to improved general and mental health. Experimental studies have consistently found short term positive effects of physical activity in nature compared with built environments. This study explores whether these benefits are also evident in everyday life, perceived over repeated contact with nature. The topic is important from the perspectives of city planning, individual well-being, and public health. METHODS: National survey data (n = 2,070) from Finland was analysed using structural regression analyses. Perceived general health, emotional well-being, and sleep quality were regressed on the weekly frequency of physical activity indoors, outdoors in built environments, and in nature. Socioeconomic factors and other plausible confounders were controlled for. RESULTS: Emotional well-being showed the most consistent positive connection to physical activity in nature, whereas general health was positively associated with physical activity in both built and natural outdoor settings. Better sleep quality was weakly connected to frequent physical activity in nature, but the connection was outweighed by other factors. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that nature provides an added value to the known benefits of physical activity. Repeated exercise in nature is, in particular, connected to better emotional well-being

Restorative effects of urban green environments and the role of urban-nature orientedness and noise sensitivity: A field experiment

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Perceived Environmental Aesthetic Qualities Scale (PEAQS) : A self-report tool for the evaluation of green-blue spaces

Aesthetic qualifies of urban green and blue spaces have received considerable attention in scientific literature but are operationalized in multiple ways and lack clear assessment and measurement techniques. To fill in this gap, we developed a Perceived Environmental Aesthetic Qualifies Scale (PEAQS). Based on previous literature both in philosophy and empirical sciences we created a questionnaire with 36 statements and three open questions focusing on the perceived aesthetic qualifies of environments. This questionnaire was used to sample 331 respondents in three sites different in their level of naturalness, human intervention and design: a natural-like but managed urban forest, a partly human-made and intensively managed bay-park and a completely human-made green roof. These sites were selected to represent a variety of urban green and blue infrastructure common in cities. The results suggest a scale that consists of 23 statements and five factors that reflect perceived aesthetic qualifies of urban green spaces: Harmony, Mystery, Multisensority & Nature, Visual Spaciousness and Visual Diversity, and Sublimity. We give guidelines for further development and testing of the scale in order to prove its potential to develop the field of environmental aesthetics and to demonstrate its usefulness for adaptive, evidence-based urban planning and design.Peer reviewe

Exposure to nature versus relaxation during lunch breaks and recovery from work: Development and design of an intervention study to improve workers´ health, well-being, work performance and creativity

Background The objective of this research project is to understand and to improve workers’ recovery from work stress. Although recovery during lunch breaks is the most common within-workday break, it has received only minor research attention. Therefore, we will study whether lunch breaks including a relaxation session or exposure to nature have more favorable outcomes than usually spent lunch breaks concerning: a) recovery processes, b) health, c) well-being, d) job performance and e) creativity. We approach recovery by combining the theoretical frameworks of work and environmental psychology. Methods/Design We conduct an intervention study in a sample of 268 knowledge-workers who engage in different lunch break activities for 15-minutes per day, two weeks in a row. We randomly assign participants to three experimental conditions: 1) exposure to nature, 2) relaxation and 3) control group (lunch break spent as usual). Online questionnaires before and after the intervention assess long term changes regarding recovery processes and the major outcome variables. Before, during and after the intervention, SMS and paper-pencil questionnaires measure the same constructs four times a day with fewer items. We also measure blood pressure and collect saliva samples to map cortisol excretion across the intervention period. A timed experimental task (i.e., the Alternative Uses Task) is used to examine differences in creativity between the three groups after the intervention period. Discussion By combining the knowledge of work and environmental psychology about recovery and restorative experiences, by merging three recovery perspectives (settings, processes, and outcomes) and by using data triangulation, we produce valid results that broaden our view on mechanisms underlying recovery and enhance our understanding about their links to psychological, behavioural and physiological outcomes, resulting in a more comprehensive picture of work stress recovery in general. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov Protocol Registration System NCT02124837. Registered 24 April 2014BioMed Central open acces

Still not that bad for the grey city : A field study on the restorative effects of built open urban places

Attention Restoration Theory (ART) and Stress Recovery Theory (SRT) highlight the restorative properties of natural or green environments. However, the study of the psychological benefits obtained through contact with built open urban places, such as squares or streets, has received far less attention. In this paper we present a within-subjects pretest-posttest quasi-experimental field study that assessed the restoration experience of a sample of university students (N = 34) visiting two squares in a European city. Statistical analyses revealed that participants' attentional performance improved and negative affect (depression and stress) decreased after spending 20 min in the squares. There was no increase in positive affect. Nature orientedness was significantly related to some of the pretest-posttest changes, leading to lower fatigue and attentional restoration in one square. The results suggest that built open urban settings can provide some restorative benefits.acceptedVersionPeer reviewe

Effects of nature-based intervention in the treatment of depression : A multi-center, randomized controlled trial

This research investigated the effects of a nature-based treatment on participants diagnosed with depression. Participants (N = 136) were randomized into nature-based (n = 59) or standard care-only (n = 77) groups. The participants in the nature-based group were offered 12 nature-based sessions once a week in addition to standard care. The participants in the nature-based group were on average 45.0 years (range 22–64 years) and participants in the standard-care only were on average 45.4 years (range 19–64 years). The nature-based groups took place in five towns across Finland. The observed effects of the intervention on participants in the nature-based group, when compared to the participants who received standard care only, included a greater decrease in psychological distress (p < .05) and an increase in restorative experiences (p < .01) as well as in the self-reported ability to work/study but only at post-measurement (p < .05). Nature sessions produced restorative experiences that mediated the decrease in depression. The depression scores of participants in both groups reduced significantly and no differences were observed between the groups. Thus, nature-based intervention can be a safe and beneficial form of short-term group treatment for depression in addition to standard care.publishedVersionPeer reviewe

Profiles of nature exposure and outdoor activities associated with occupational well-being among employees

This research addresses the profiles of nature exposure and outdoor activities in nature among Finnish employees (N = 783). The profiles were formed on the bases of nature exposure at work and the frequency and type of outdoor activities in nature engaged in during leisure time. The profiles were investigated in relation to work engagement and burnout. The latent profile analysis identified a five-class solution as the best model: High exposure (8%), Versatile exposure (22%), Unilateral exposure (38%), Average exposure (13%), and Low exposure (19%). An Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was conducted for each well-being outcome in order to evaluate how the identified profiles related to occupational well-being. Participants with a High, Versatile, or Unilateral exposure profile reported significantly higher work engagement in the dimensions of vigor and dedication than did the participants with a Low exposure profile. The participants with the High exposure profile also reported lower burnout in the dimensions of cynicism and professional inadequacy than the participants with the Low exposure profile. Nature exposure during the workday and leisure time is an under researched but important aspect in promoting occupational well-being

Effects of park walks and relaxation exercises during lunch beraks on recovery from job stress : Two randomized controlled trials

Item does not contain fulltextLunch breaks constitute the longest within-workday rest period, but it is unclear how they affect recovery from job stress. We conducted two randomized controlled trials with 153 Finnish knowledge workers who engaged for 15 minutes daily in various prescribed lunch break activities for ten consecutive working days. Participants were randomly assigned to a: 1) park walking group (N = 51), 2) relaxation exercises group (N = 46) and 3) control group (N = 56). The study was divided into two parts scheduled in spring (N = 83) and fall (N = 70). Recovery experiences (detachment, relaxation, enjoyment) and recovery outcomes (vitality, fatigue, job satisfaction) were assessed with SMS and paper-and-pencil questionnaires several times per day before, during and after the intervention period. A manipulation check revealed that during the intervention both intervention groups reported less tension after lunch breaks than before. Vitality increased and fatigue decreased most markedly immediately after the break in the fall in both intervention groups (d = 0.30-0.58). Fatigue decreased and remained low until the end of the afternoon (d = 0.37-0.54). Most consistent positive effects were reported in the park walking group. Park walks and relaxation exercises during lunch breaks enhanced knowledge workers' recovery from work, but the effects were weak, relatively short-lived and dependent on the season.17 p