Association between the Psychological Effects of Viewing Forest Landscapes and Trait Anxiety Level

Chorong Song, Harumi Ikei, Bum-Jin Park, Juyoung Lee, Takahide Kagawa and Yoshifumi Miyazaki
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Chorong Song: Department of Forest Resources, Kongju National University, 54 Daehak-ro, Yesan-eup, Yesan-gun, Chungcheongnam-do 32439, Korea
Harumi Ikei: Center for Environment, Health and Field Sciences, Chiba University, 6-2-1 Kashiwa-no-ha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-0882, Japan
Bum-Jin Park: Department of Environment and Forest Resources, Chungnam National University, 99 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34134, Korea
Juyoung Lee: Department of Landscape Architecture, Hankyong National University, 327 Jungang-ro, Anseong-si, Gyeonggi-do 17579, Korea
Takahide Kagawa: Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, 1 Matsunosato, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8687, Japan
Yoshifumi Miyazaki: Center for Environment, Health and Field Sciences, Chiba University, 6-2-1 Kashiwa-no-ha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-0882, Japan

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 15, 1-9

Abstract: The aim of this study was to validate the psychological advantages of viewing forest landscapes. Moreover, the associations between trait anxiety levels and psychological responses were evaluated. A total of 650 university male students (age, 21.7 ± 1.6 years) viewed a scenery in a forested area and an urban area for 15 min. Furthermore, the Profile of Mood States questionnaire and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory were employed for the assessment of the psychological responses and the level of trait anxiety, respectively, of the participants. Results showed that compared with viewing a city area, viewing forest areas increased positive mood state, such as vigor, and decreased negative mood states. Furthermore, trait anxiety level and changes in the psychological responses such as depression–dejection, fatigue, and confusion after viewing forest landscapes were significantly correlated. The participants with high anxiety levels had greater reduction in negative mood state, including confusion, than those with low anxiety levels. In conclusion, viewing forest landscapes induced psychological relaxation, which was more evident in individuals with high anxiety levels.

Keywords: psychological relaxation; trait anxiety; health-promoting environments; Profile of Mood States; preventive medicine; forest therapy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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