Effect of Nature Experience on Fronto-Parietal Correlates of Neurocognitive Processes Involved in Directed Attention: An ERP Study

Abstract

Background: Several studies have demonstrated that brief interactions with natural environments can improve cognitive functioning. However, the neurocognitive processes that are affected by natural surroundings are not yet fully understood. It is argued that the “elements” in natural environment evoke “effortless” involuntary attention and may affect the neural mechanisms underlying inhibition control central to directed attention. Methods: The present study used electroencephalography (EEG) to investigate the effects of nature experience on neurocognitive processes involved in directed attention. During EEG recordings, participants ( n = 53) were presented nature audio/video as stimuli to evoke nature experience, and flanker task was administered both before and after nature experience. An open eye rest condition was included randomly in either before or after nature experience cognitive task as a control condition. Results: The event-related potential analysis demonstrated a significant improvement in the response time after the nature experience. The analysis also demonstrated a significant difference for the inhibitory control process in fronto-parietal N2 ( P < .01) and P3 ( P < .05) for incongruent trials subsequent to nature experience. The spectral analysis also found an increase in alpha in all five brain regions (all Ps < .01) and fronto-central theta power ( P < .01). Conclusion: The findings suggest that improved inhibitory control processes could be one of the aspects of enhanced directed attention after nature experience. Increased alpha along with theta indicates a relaxed yet alert state of mind after nature experience.

Watching Nature Videos Promotes Physiological Restoration: Evidence From the Modulation of Alpha Waves in Electroencephalography

“…Several investigations have found that both alpha and theta power are associated to the activities of mindfulness and meditation ( Aftanas and Golocheikine, 2001 ; Lagopoulos et al, 2009 ; Lomas et al, 2015 ), and therefore these brain waves may be both modulated in the same way during nature experiences in response to a relaxation and positive emotions. This effect seems to be in line with two recent studies [the lab-study of Sahni and Kumar (2020) , and the real-life static exposure study of Chen et al (2020) ] showing that nature videos may modulate both alpha and theta power.…”

“…The results presented in our study, together with the ones presented in previous investigations ( Ulrich, 1981 ; Grassini et al, 2019 ; Sahni and Kumar, 2020 ), showed that experiencing natural environments in various real or computerize forms produces measurable and reliable brain activity markers which are known to be related to cognitive and emotional restorative processes ( Aftanas and Golocheikine, 2001 ; Lagopoulos et al, 2009 ; Baijal and Srinivasan, 2010 ). Therefore, they can be argued to promote restorative processes.…”

“…Theta activity has been associated with cognitive control and error processing, and an origin of increase theta power has been found in the anterior cingulate cortex ( Cavanagh et al, 2010 , 2012 ; Cavanagh and Shackman, 2015 ). Sahni and Kumar (2020) reported that viewing nature videos increased both theta and alpha power, suggesting that natural stimuli provoke a relaxed but alert state of mind.…”

Exposure to nature is associated with decreased functional connectivity within the distress network: A resting state EEG study

“…Of relevance, no significant associations were detected in other frequency bands (e.g., alpha and theta) previously associated with nature exposure and stress reduction (Ulrich, 1981;Chang et al, 2008;Grassini et al, 2019Grassini et al, , 2022Sahni and Kumar, 2020;Koivisto et al, 2022). The discrepancies between previous reports and the current research may be explained by several differences in study designs and methods.…”

Top-Down Processing and Nature Connectedness Predict Psychological and Physiological Effects of Nature

“…Previous studies have shown that mindfulness (Lomas et al, 2015) and meditation (Aftanas & Golocheikine, 2001; Lagopoulos et al, 2009) increase alpha and theta powers, suggesting they are related to relaxed and emotionally positive states. Specifically related to nature exposure, Sahni and Kumar (2020) reported that viewing nature videos increased both alpha and theta powers, suggesting a relaxed yet alert state of mind. Thus, in showing enhancement of theta and alpha activity in nature-related source attribution conditions, especially in persons highly connected to nature, our study suggests that mere attribution of the sound to nature and listening to the sound seems to produce a state of relaxed alertness.…”