Characteristics of the environment provide an early-warning signal for safety and survival that triggers positive emotional reactions. Roger Ulrich argues that contact with nature aids recovery from all forms of stress, not just attention fatigue. The second explanation is by Stephen and Rachel Kaplan whose Attention Restoration Theory proposed that exposure to nature restores us from the fatigue of prolonged mental work. Roger Ulrich (1983) proposed a psycho-evolutionary theory in which the positive emotional and physiological effects of experiences with nature have survival benefits. There have been two main lines of inquiry, complementary but operating from differing theoretical standpoints. The theme ends with a summary and references. posters), views from windows, and views along roads. It also examines research into several specific areas: the effect of viewing nature on violence, views of surrogates (e.g. This theme summarizes the two theories that provide explanatory paradigms of the health and restoration benefits of viewing nature, and then presents the findings of research which have examined the veracity of these theories. Han (2003) showed that the restorative influence of environments comprises emotional, physiological and cognitive aspects as well as intended behavior in the environments.įigure 2 Framework of the health-promoting effect of landscapes In this theme, a non-technical summary is presented of research into the health and restorative effects of viewing nature.įigure 2, which builds on models by Tzoulas et al, 2007 and Abraham et al, 2010, provides a framework of cause and effect the benefits derived from exposure to nature.
#A nature scenery series#
Together with colleagues, he carried out a series of studies to document and quantify the effect of viewing nature on human health. Ulrich went on to develop his psycho-evolutionary theory (see theme: Landscape theory) in which the positive emotional and physiological effects of experiences with nature have survival benefits. Figure 1 Analgesic doses per patient for wall or tree view The analgesic doses did not vary significantly between the two groups for the first day or the last days but for days 2 – 5 the difference was statistically significant. The results hinted at a significant influence of viewing nature upon human health.įigure 1 illustrates the differences over the term of the patients’ recovery. Those whose beds faced views of trees had shorter stays in the hospital: 7.96 days vs 8.70 days, took fewer strong and moderate pain killers, and received fewer negative evaluative comments in nurse’s notes: 1.13 per patient for those facing trees compared with 3.96 per patient for those facing a wall. The 46 patients had undergone similar gall bladder operations, and the records were extracted from records over a ten-year period. The study compared the recovery of patients in a Pennsylvanian hospital whose rooms faced a blank brick wall with patients who could see trees. It was published in the prestigious journal, Science. Over 30 years ago in 1984, an early study by Roger Ulrich provided glimpses of this truth. It has been through research of landscape values that this has occurred. It may seem curious that this phenomenon, the healing power of nature, which seems to have been held as self-evident truth for generations, should have had to wait until recent years to be proved. Natural scenery employs the mind without fatigue and yet exercises it tranquilizes it and yet enlivens it and thus, through the influence of the mind over the body, gives the effect of refreshing rest and reinvigoration to the whole system.Įverybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in where nature may heal and cheer and give strength to the body and soul.īeauty can enlarge man’s imagination and revive his spirit. Writer and poets, even statesmen, have long believed in the healing power of nature as is evident from the following quotes. Imagine that just by viewing landscapes provides us with healing, restores our souls from tiredness, and lifts our spirits! Well, research over recent decades has established the truth of this – nature heals! This is a really important finding of research over relatively recent years.
Explanations of why nature heals Click here
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