Viewing Nature Lets Your Mind Run Free: Three Experiments about the Influence of Viewing a Nature Video on Cognitive Coping with Psychological Distress

Daphne Meuwese, Jolanda Maas, Lydia Krabbendam and Karin Dijkstra
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Daphne Meuwese: Department of Clinical, Neuro and Developmental Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 BT Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Jolanda Maas: Department of Clinical, Neuro and Developmental Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 BT Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Lydia Krabbendam: Department of Clinical, Neuro and Developmental Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 BT Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Karin Dijkstra: Research Group Nursing, Saxion University of Applied Sciences, 7513 AB Enschede, The Netherlands

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 16, 1-22

Abstract: Viewing nature has restorative qualities that might help people cope with their personal struggles. Three lab experiments ( N = 506) studied whether environment (nature vs. built) influences cognitive coping with psychological distress. Psychological distress was induced with an autobiographical recall task about serious regret, whereafter participants were randomly assigned to view a nature or built video. Cognitive coping (i) Quantity, (ii) Content, and (iii) Quality were hereafter assessed as well as extent and vividness of the regretful memory during the video. Results showed a higher cognitive coping Quantity (Study 1 and 3) and a higher cognitive coping Quality (All studies) for the nature (vs. built) condition. Regarding cognitive coping Content, results varied across the studies. Additionally, participants reported to have thought about the experienced psychological distress to a greater extent while viewing the nature (vs. built) video. Yet they did rate viewing nature as more relaxing. We propose a two-step pathway as an underlying mechanism of restoration. In the first step the capacity for directed attention replenishes. Secondly, this renewed capacity is directed towards internal processes, creating the optimal setting for reflection. Hence, viewing nature allows people to truly process whatever is occupying their minds, which is ultimately relieving and beneficial for mental health.

Keywords: restorative environments; coping; clinical psychology; state coping scale (SCS); mental health (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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