The Contribution to Stress Recovery and Attention Restoration Potential of Exposure to Urban Green Spaces in Low-Density Residential Areas

Shuping Huang, Jinda Qi, Wei Li, Jianwen Dong and Cecil Konijnendijk van den Bosch
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Shuping Huang: College of Architecture and Planning, Fujian University of Technology, Fuzhou 350002, China
Jinda Qi: School of Design and Environment, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117356, Singapore
Wei Li: School of Art and Design, Zhengzhou University of Aeronautics, Zhengzhou 450015, China
Jianwen Dong: College of Landscape Architecture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
Cecil Konijnendijk van den Bosch: Faculty of Forestry, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 16, 1-20

Abstract: This study assessed the contributions of urban green spaces on mental health with joint consideration of people’s physiological and psychological responses. The psychological and physiological responses of participants aged between 22 and 28, who visited green spaces in a low-density area of Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China, were measured using Perceived Restorativeness Scale (PRS) methods and biometric wearable sensing devices, respectively. Results showed that exposure to green space led to significant changes in PRS, electrodermal activity (EDA), facial electromyography (EMG), respiration sensor (RESP), and photoplethysmography (PPG), while there is no significant impact on skin temperature (SKT). Additionally, psychological and physiological responses were highly consistent and correlated (R < 0.8). The results also indicated that green spaces with high plant species richness, a water landscape, bumpy ground, cultural landscape, and without roadways presented a high performance on stress recovery and attention restoration. At the same time, the influence of openness was negligible in the low-density area. The study provides planners and landscape designers with specific guidance for implementing urban green spaces to improve mental health in low-density residential areas.

Keywords: mental health; psychological and physiological responses; landscape elements; perceived restorativeness scale; green spaces planning (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

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