How does nature exposure make people healthier?: Evidence for the role of impulsivity and expanded space perception

Abstract

Nature exposure has been linked to a plethora of health benefits, but the mechanism for this effect is not well understood. We conducted two studies to test a new model linking the health benefits of nature exposure to reduced impulsivity in decision-making (as measured by delay discounting) via psychologically expanding space perception. In study 1 we collected a nationwide U.S. sample (n = 609) to determine whether nature exposure was predictive of health outcomes and whether impulsive decision-making mediated the effect. Results indicated that Nature Accessibility and Nature Exposure From Home significantly predicted reduced scores on the Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scales (DASS) (p < .001, p = .03, respectively) and improved general health and wellbeing (p < .001, p < .01, respectively). Nature Accessibility also predicted reduced impulsive decision-making (p < .01), and Nature Accessibility showed significant indirect effects through impulsive decision-making on both the DASS (p = .02) and general health and wellbeing (p = .04). In Study 2, a lab-based paradigm found that nature exposure expanded space perception (p < .001), and while the indirect effect of nature exposure through space perception on impulsive decision-making did not meet conventional standards of significance (p < .10), the pattern was consistent with hypotheses. This combination of ecologically-valid and experimental methods offers promising support for an impulsivity-focused model explaining the nature-health relationship.

Promoting Healthy Decision-Making via Natural Environment Exposure: Initial Evidence and Future Directions

“…Evidence suggests that individuals respond in a more self-controlled way for ecological decisions related to air quality with exposure to natural as opposed to built environments (Berry et al, 2019). These results were associated with expanded space perception as previously shown (e.g., Repke et al, 2018). Although an initial foundation, this research still represents an area that has much opportunity for growth.…”

“…In a follow-up experiment, similar results were obtained when participants walked through either natural landscape environments or built landscape environments and then chose between receiving money now or in the future. Our lab has also shown that individuals visually exposed to natural environments exhibit more self-controlled decisions, while individuals exposed to built environments demonstrate more impulsive decisions in a monetary delay-discounting task (Berry et al, 2014; see Figure 1; Berry et al, 2015), and this effect may be related to expanded time and space perception (Berry et al, 2015;Repke et al, 2018).…”

“…We paired this study with a laboratory-based paradigm and found that visual exposure to nature expanded perceptions of space, and while the indirect effects of nature exposure through space perception on impulsive decision-making did not meet conventional standards of significance ( p < 0.10), the pattern was consistent with hypotheses. This combination of ecologically valid and experimental methods offers promising support for an impulsivity-focused model explaining the nature–health relationship ( Repke et al, 2018 ).…”

Rurbanization—Making the City Greener: Young Citizen Implication and Future Actions

“…In order to create the appropriate environment for such a development, nature is displayed to offer a "stronger, authentic sense of self or offering a new perspective of oneself within the world" [47]. Repke et al [49] have shown in their research how the positive impact of nature is to some extent motivated by the decrease in impulsive behavior and fast reckless decision-making. The same authors further discovered that these benefits (decreased impulsive decision-making that is thought to generate health improvements) occur in people due to and expansion of the space perception [49].…”

“…Repke et al [49] have shown in their research how the positive impact of nature is to some extent motivated by the decrease in impulsive behavior and fast reckless decision-making. The same authors further discovered that these benefits (decreased impulsive decision-making that is thought to generate health improvements) occur in people due to and expansion of the space perception [49]. These results are further confirmed by findings showing that having access to a garden was linked to important health benefits, especially mental health, and also to social and emotional positive outcomes [50].…”