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Advances in Restorative Environments Research: People, Contexts, and Processes

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A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Mental Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2023) | Viewed by 25238

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Massimiliano Scopelliti

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Guest Editor

Department of Human Studies, LUMSA University, and Centre for Interuniversity Research on Environmental Psychology (CIRPA), Rome, Italy
Interests: restorative environments and well-being; biodiversity protection; urban environmental quality; place attachment; terrorism and media

Dr. Ferdinando Fornara

E-Mail Website
Assistant Guest Editor

Department of Education, Psychology, Philosophy, University of Cagliari, 09124 Cagliari, CA, Italy
Interests: environmental psychology; architectural psychology; social psychology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Environments can be defined as “restorative” when they promote stress reduction, the recovery of cognitive resources (e.g., directed attention), and overall conditions of health and well-being. Nature has been largely investigated for its restorative potential, but some built environments have also been found to foster restoration, such as, among others, historical sites, museums, monasteries, and pleasant residential environments. The scientific literature on restorative environments has consistently shown their positive effects on health and well-being. Beyond the understanding of several positive outcomes, the scientific community has recently shown an increasing interest in more specific themes, such as referring to people who can experience the above benefits, under what circumstances, and through what psychological processes. However, much more still needs to be understood on several issues, such as:
- restoration and healthy outcomes for different groups of people;
- restoration and healthy outcomes in different typologies of restorative environments;
- relevant psychological mechanisms of psychological restoration, health, and well-being.
Papers addressing these issues are welcome for this Special Issue of IJERPH, particularly when proposing sharp and cutting-edge studies on relevant mediators and moderators of psychological restoration and related healthy outcomes.

Prof. Dr. Massimiliano Scopelliti
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ferdinando Fornara
Guest Editors

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Keywords

restorative environments
nature
built environments
stress
attention
cognitive resources
emotions
health
well-being

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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14 pages, 720 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Contact with Nature in Social Deprivation during COVID-19: The Positive Impact on Anxiety

by Ferdinando Fornara, Elena Rinallo and Massimiliano Scopelliti

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(14), 6361; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20146361 - 14 Jul 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1883

Abstract

The 2019 outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) had a devastating impact on millions of people worldwide. Following the constantly changing course of the pandemic, the Italian government massively restricted public and private life to prevent the further spread of the virus. Unfortunately, lockdown policies negatively impacted many people’s mental and physical health. Numerous studies recognized an essential role of urban green areas in promoting human well-being. The present study aims to evaluate the effect of personal dispositions towards nature, measured using the connectedness to nature scale (CNS) and actual contact with green spaces (CwN) on human well-being (i.e., anxiety) and medicine intake during COVID-19 lockdowns. A total of 637 Italian residents answered a survey aimed at gathering information about the above variables. A series of path analyses were performed. The results showed that the CNS was positively associated with the CwN, and the latter, in turn, was negatively associated with anxiety. Finally, anxiety was positively related to medicine intake. In sum, these results identify the positive role of person–nature relationships for individual well-being during COVID-19 restrictions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Restorative Environments Research: People, Contexts, and Processes)

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18 pages, 3833 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Restorative Effects of Observing Natural and Urban Scenery after Working Memory Depletion

by Menno van Oordt, Kim Ouwehand and Fred Paas

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(1), 188; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20010188 - 23 Dec 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2652

Abstract

According to attention restoration theory observing nature has restorative effects on cognitive components, such as working memory, after a cognitive depleting task. Additionally, urban environments are thought to have no effect or even a negative effect on cognitive restoration. Previous research has confirmed that observing actual, as well as digitally presented nature sceneries leads to more restoration of working memory capacity (WMC) than observing (digital) urban sceneries. To further investigate these findings, we conducted an experiment with 72 university students as participants. After a WMC depleting task, participants observed either digitally presented nature scenery, urban scenery or no scenery, and subsequently performed a digit span test, which was used to measure restoration of WMC. Results indicated significant higher performance on the digit span test for those who observed nature scenery in comparison to those who observed urban scenery or no scenery, thereby replicating results from previous research. Observing urban scenery was neither harmful nor helpful in terms of cognitive restoration compared to observing no scenery. These findings provide a foundation for implementing a brief intervention of observing nature in academic settings to facilitate the restoration of WMC. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Restorative Environments Research: People, Contexts, and Processes)

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20 pages, 777 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Reducing Anxiety with Nature and Gardening (RANG): Evaluating the Impacts of Gardening and Outdoor Activities on Anxiety among U.S. Adults during the COVID-19 Pandemic

by Megan E. Gerdes, Lucy A. Aistis, Naomi A. Sachs, Marcus Williams, Jennifer D. Roberts and Rachel E. Rosenberg Goldstein

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(9), 5121; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19095121 - 22 Apr 2022

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 6694

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic impacted mental health. Growing research has identified the mental health benefits of nature contact, including gardening. We used a cross-sectional survey to investigate the association between gardening and other outdoor activities with anxiety among U.S. adults. The RANG (Reducing Anxiety with Nature and Gardening) survey was distributed online from June–September 2020 through social media (Twitter and Facebook) and a national Master Gardeners listserv. Survey questions captured demographics, COVID-19 experiences, gardening, outdoor activities, and anxiety using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale. Data were analyzed using chi-square, Fisher’s exact, and Kruskal–Wallis tests, as well as logistic regression. Among participants, 46% reported anxiety symptoms. Participants who had gardened ≥ 15 years and those gardening > 8 h over two weeks had lower anxiety scores. Spending more time outdoors on weekdays also decreased anxiety scores. After adjusting for covariates, lower odds of anxiety were identified for 50–69 and 70–89-year-olds vs. 18–29-year-olds; males vs. females; and Texas vs. Maryland residents. These findings confirm increased anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic and suggest that sustained gardening and other outdoor activities could help reduce anxiety. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Restorative Environments Research: People, Contexts, and Processes)

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15 pages, 2281 KiB

Open AccessArticle

How Can Flowers and Their Colors Promote Individuals’ Physiological and Psychological States during the COVID-19 Lockdown?

by Junfang Xie, Binyi Liu and Mohamed Elsadek

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(19), 10258; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph181910258 - 29 Sep 2021

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 7008

Abstract

The global spread of COVID-19 has disrupted the normality of people’s daily lives, leading the population to social distancing and isolation. The closure of green areas also affected the well-being of the individual during the COVID-19 pandemic. Viewing flowers is expected to have similar positive effects to viewing natural scenery. Therefore, this study investigates how white, red, and yellow flower colors affect individuals’ psychological and physiological well-being. The experiment was conducted in an office-like setting with 50 participants. Participants looked at each flower color for 3 min. Electroencephalograms (EEGs), heart rate variability, and skin conductivity were measured to evaluate physiological responses along with both the semantic differential questionnaire (SD) and the Profile of Mood States (POMS) to assess psychological responses. EEGs showed that the mean values of alpha relative power in the prefrontal lobe were significantly higher when viewing yellow and red flowers vs. white flowers. Furthermore, heart rate variability revealed that viewing yellow and red flowers increased parasympathetic nerve activity significantly. After viewing the yellow and red flowers, the average results for each subscale of the POMS questionnaire improved. The vigor (V) subscale and overall mood status values were significantly improved. The results of the SD method revealed that viewing yellow and red flowers resulted in a significantly higher sense of relaxation, cheerfulness, and comfort than viewing white flowers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Restorative Environments Research: People, Contexts, and Processes)

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22 pages, 13479 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Viewing Nature Lets Your Mind Run Free: Three Experiments about the Influence of Viewing a Nature Video on Cognitive Coping with Psychological Distress

by Daphne Meuwese, Jolanda Maas, Lydia Krabbendam and Karin Dijkstra

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(16), 8842; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18168842 - 22 Aug 2021

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3457

Abstract

Viewing nature has restorative qualities that might help people cope with their personal struggles. Three lab experiments (N = 506) studied whether environment (nature vs. built) influences cognitive coping with psychological distress. Psychological distress was induced with an autobiographical recall task about serious regret, whereafter participants were randomly assigned to view a nature or built video. Cognitive coping (i) Quantity, (ii) Content, and (iii) Quality were hereafter assessed as well as extent and vividness of the regretful memory during the video. Results showed a higher cognitive coping Quantity (Study 1 and 3) and a higher cognitive coping Quality (All studies) for the nature (vs. built) condition. Regarding cognitive coping Content, results varied across the studies. Additionally, participants reported to have thought about the experienced psychological distress to a greater extent while viewing the nature (vs. built) video. Yet they did rate viewing nature as more relaxing. We propose a two-step pathway as an underlying mechanism of restoration. In the first step the capacity for directed attention replenishes. Secondly, this renewed capacity is directed towards internal processes, creating the optimal setting for reflection. Hence, viewing nature allows people to truly process whatever is occupying their minds, which is ultimately relieving and beneficial for mental health. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Restorative Environments Research: People, Contexts, and Processes)

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11 pages, 9423 KiB

Open AccessBrief Report

Using Virtual Reality to Bring Restorative Environments to Employees: An Online Pilot Study

by Kristin A. Horan, Maria Harrington, Chelsea A. LeNoble, Matthew Mosher and Thomas Pring

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(10), 5797; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20105797 - 12 May 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1959

Abstract

Employees face many demands throughout the workday. Participating in activities can help employees recover from the pressures of work, and physical activity and time spent in nature are among the most beneficial. Simulations of nature offer some of the benefits of actual contact with nature and can address some of the barriers to exercising outdoors that some employees may face. In this pilot study, we examine the influence of physical activity and virtual or actual nature contact on affect, boredom, and satisfaction when experienced during a break from a demanding work task. Twenty-five employed adults participated in an online study in which they completed a problem-solving task, completed a twenty-minute break, and then completed another session of the problem-solving task. During the break, participants were randomized to either a control condition, a physical activity and low-fidelity virtual nature contact condition, a physical activity and high-fidelity virtual nature contact condition, or a physical activity and actual nature contact condition. An examination of the means of affect, boredom, and satisfaction before, during, and after the break revealed that those in high-fidelity virtual nature and actual nature contact conditions seemed to report more positive well-being during the break. The results highlight that to help employees recover from work demands, it could be important to take breaks, be physically active, and have contact with nature, which should be simulated in high fidelity if actual nature contact cannot be achieved. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Restorative Environments Research: People, Contexts, and Processes)

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