CTLA01H3 Study Guide - Final Guide: Attention Restoration Theory, Urban Sprawl, Executive Functions
2 May 2018
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Impacts of nature on experience on human cognitive
function and mental health (Bratman)
●For hundreds of years science, philosophy, poetry and religion emphasized the role that nature
plays in providing feelings of well-being
●The human physical health depended on nature for security in food, water, energy, climate etc.,
and now with pollution in the air and water, urban sprawl, land conversion it is important of
nature for our mental health
●People living in urban environments have more trouble processing stress when compared to
someone in the rural area (118-119)
●Many people may to be among the nature and pay very high prices
●Compared to the older generation and newer generation are stuck in buildings and have very
little contact with the nature
●Natural environments provided quieter atmospheres and accompanied by a larger field of view
than the urban environments
●We connect to the nature and feel an emotional fulfillment
●When someone is in nature they take place within the mind and body as they experience it
●Fear of being attacked by wildlife or struck by disease can cause mental distress
●Stress reduction theory:
○Healing power of nature that lies in an unconscious autonomic response to natural
elements that can occur with recognition and in individuals who have stressed before
the experience
○Seeing or being in nature can reduce stress through physiological and psychological
responses
○Views of landscape of water or vegetation can get rid of negative thoughts in minutes
○Reactions to environment can happen at preconscious level and may impact cognitive
process without the individual's conscious knowledge
○Even if they think they have been ok with factors that cause stress, they would still be
having stress-related reactions in their bodies and brains but are unaware
○Ulrich tested mildly stressed participants and found that the ones who were shown
nature had self-ratings of positive affect and negative feelings like fear were lower (But
would their fear be higher if they were actually outside and not just looking at it visually
through a screen)
○The group who saw cities experiences increase in anxiety, feeling of sadness and
aggravation
○Students who were stress about the exam had higher positive affect after seeing the
nature slides
○After watching a stressful movie they found that participants recovered faster from
stress when viewing nature scenes
○When in the japan forest stress was decreased in under 15 mins
○People who had higher stress levels had a greater sense of relief in the nature compared
to others
Document Summary
Impacts of nature on experience on human cognitive function and mental health (bratman) For hundreds of years science, philosophy, poetry and religion emphasized the role that nature plays in providing feelings of well-being. The human physical health depended on nature for security in food, water, energy, climate etc. , and now with pollution in the air and water, urban sprawl, land conversion it is important of nature for our mental health. People living in urban environments have more trouble processing stress when compared to someone in the rural area (118-119) Many people may to be among the nature and pay very high prices. Compared to the older generation and newer generation are stuck in buildings and have very little contact with the nature. Natural environments provided quieter atmospheres and accompanied by a larger field of view than the urban environments. We connect to the nature and feel an emotional fulfillment.
