Stress Recovery of Campus Street Trees as Visual Stimuli on Graduate Students in Autumn

Li-Na Guo, Ren-Lin Zhao, Ai-Hua Ren, Li-Xin Niu and Yan-Long Zhang
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Li-Na Guo: College of Landscape Architecture and Arts, Northwest A&F University, Xianyang 712100, China
Ren-Lin Zhao: College of Landscape Architecture and Arts, Northwest A&F University, Xianyang 712100, China
Ai-Hua Ren: College of Landscape Architecture and Arts, Northwest A&F University, Xianyang 712100, China
Li-Xin Niu: College of Landscape Architecture and Arts, Northwest A&F University, Xianyang 712100, China
Yan-Long Zhang: College of Landscape Architecture and Arts, Northwest A&F University, Xianyang 712100, China

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 17, issue 1, 1-13

Abstract: Human stress recovery response to landscapes is under discussion in Chinese settings. The present study aimed to clarify the stress recovery effects of campus street trees on graduate students in autumn. A total of 150 participants (23.75 ± 1.01 years old) completed the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) and were then randomly assigned to view one of five virtual environments, including the street trees Sophora japonica , Ginkgo biloba , Platanus acerifolia , Koelreuteria paniculata , and the indoor environment (control). Physiological responses were measured by R-R interval and electroencephalography (EEG). Psychological responses were examined through the state version of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-S) and the Perceived Restorativeness Scale (PRS). Results showed that R-R intervals significantly increased while viewing all street trees. Both alpha and beta brainwave activities while viewing S. japonica and G. biloba were remarkably higher than those while viewing P. acerifolia and K. paniculata . The STAI-S scores significantly decreased, and the positive PRS scores were registered after viewing street trees. We concluded that a brief virtual visual experience of campus street trees in autumn has stress recovery effects on graduate students, and the different levels of stress recovery are associated with different types of street trees.

Keywords: campus street tree; graduate student; stress recovery; psycho-physiological indicator (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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