Abstract
With the acceleration of industrialization and urbanization, there are fewer opportunities for modern people to contact with nature, and the relationship between human and nature has been seriously damaged. As a result, more and more urban residents have physical and mental sub-health problems. Researchers from multiple fields have tried to restart the connections between human and nature, and find ways in nature to benefit "modern human health". Nature experience means that individuals perceive and/or interact with stimuli from the nature world through various sensory channels.
Researchers usually use subjective questionnaire measurement methods, objective nature index methods and experimental manipulation methods to quantify and manipulate individuals’ nature experience. Previous studies have applied these methods and found that perceptions and/or interactions with natural environments have positive effects on mental health, cognitive function, physical health and behaviors. Among them, the positive effects of nature experience on mental health include the weakening of negative mental states and the strengthening of positive mental states. Moreover, previous studies showed that living near the natural environment is beneficial to long-term physical health. In terms of behaviors, people with a higher level of nature experience tend to exhibit fewer negative behaviors and more positive behaviors.
With the development of multidisciplinary research related to nature experience, some scholars no longer stop at verifying whether or where there are positive effects of nature experience, but have begun to explore the factors that may affect the positive effects of nature experience, including physical environmental, personal and social factors. In terms of physical environmental factors, previous explorations of “the positive effects of nature experience” mostly focused on targets such as trees, green spaces, and / or forest parks. In addition to green space elements such as plants, there are many other key elements in nature that may play an important role in promoting positive effects, including water, animals and microorganisms. Moreover, individual perception and interaction with the natural environment may affect the positive effects of the nature experience. Among them, some research evidence indicates that it is possible to have a positive effect by perceiving a safe or attractive natural environment. In addition, factors such as the relationship between people and nature, the type of interaction, the frequency / duration of interaction may also affect the occurrence and extent of positive effects. Additionally, the influence of social factors such as social interaction and population mobility has been confirmed. In terms of social interaction, studies have shown that social interaction opportunities in nature areas are one of the important factors that promote people's contact with natural areas.
Future research should pay attention to improving the quantitative methods of natural experience dose, break through the inherent dualistic thinking of "urban-nature", and broadening the research issues and ideas of positive effects. In addition, researchers can expand the research subjects from normal groups to special groups (such as the elderly, violent criminal prisoners, the Internet and substance addicts). At the same time, it encourages the integration of the needs of multiple fields to promote the research results of nature experience to social reality.
Key words
nature experience /
positive effect /
physical environmental factors /
individual factors /
social factors
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Going into nature: nature experience and its positive effects[J]. Journal of Psychological Science. 2021, 44(6): 1469-1475
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