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Liem DG, Woo YC. Encouraging online consumers into making better food choices: The power of nature exposure on healthy food choices. Appetite 2024; 199:107382. [PMID: 38723667 DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2024.107382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 04/25/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND online environments can influence food desire and choices. We tested if online calming nature and stressful street environments can affect desire for healthy and unhealthy foods. METHOD we asked 238 participants (40 ± 14 yrs) to rate their desire (100 mm VAS) for 7 low calorie nutrient rich foods (Healthy) and 7 high calorie nutrient poor foods (Unhealthy), and perceived stress (state anxiety in STAI), before and after imagining themselves in a control, nature park, or busy street condition. RESULTS participants who imagined themselves being in a nature park had a significant higher desire for Healthy foods, than participants in the busy street condition (p < 0.05). Participants in the busy street condition decreased their desire for Healthy foods after they imagined themselves in a busy street (p < 0.05)). However, perceived stress did not impact the association between condition and desire for low calorie foods nor high calorie foods. CONCLUSION this study suggests that online environments can have an impact on healthy food desires, which could be of importance for the increased number of food choices which are made in online environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Djin Gie Liem
- Deakin University, CASS Food Research Centre, Australia.
| | - Yu Chu Woo
- Deakin University, CASS Food Research Centre, Australia.
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2
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Georgiou F, Kawai C, Schäffer B, Pieren R. Replicating outdoor environments using VR and ambisonics: a methodology for accurate audio-visual recording, processing and reproduction. VIRTUAL REALITY 2024; 28:111. [PMID: 38765056 PMCID: PMC11098739 DOI: 10.1007/s10055-024-01003-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/21/2024]
Abstract
This paper introduces a methodology tailored to capture, post-process, and replicate audio-visual data of outdoor environments (urban or natural) for VR experiments carried out within a controlled laboratory environment. The methodology consists of 360∘ video and higher order ambisonic (HOA) field recordings and subsequent calibrated spatial sound reproduction with a spherical loudspeaker array and video played back via a head-mounted display using a game engine and a graphical user interface for a perceptual experimental questionnaire. Attention was given to the equalisation and calibration of the ambisonic microphone and to the design of different ambisonic decoders. A listening experiment was conducted to evaluate four different decoders (one 2D first-order ambisonic decoder and three 3D third-order decoders) by asking participants to rate the relative (perceived) realism of recorded outdoor soundscapes reproduced with these decoders. The results showed that the third-order decoders were ranked as more realistic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fotis Georgiou
- Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Laboratory for Acoustics/Noise Control, Überlandstrasse 129, Dübendorf, 8600 Switzerland
| | - Claudia Kawai
- Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Laboratory for Acoustics/Noise Control, Überlandstrasse 129, Dübendorf, 8600 Switzerland
| | - Beat Schäffer
- Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Laboratory for Acoustics/Noise Control, Überlandstrasse 129, Dübendorf, 8600 Switzerland
| | - Reto Pieren
- Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Laboratory for Acoustics/Noise Control, Überlandstrasse 129, Dübendorf, 8600 Switzerland
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3
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Kara Y. Brighten up the Rainbow: Ecology-Based Group Work for LGBTQ+ People. JOURNAL OF HOMOSEXUALITY 2024; 71:1356-1371. [PMID: 36689295 DOI: 10.1080/00918369.2023.2169852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
This research was carried out as a pretest-posttest experimental study in order to evaluate the effect of ecology-based group work on 18 LGBTQ+ people living in different districts of Istanbul. The study group of the research carried out between July 2022 and August 2022 consists of 18 LGBTQ+ people, between the ages of 19-22. Study participants were randomly selected for each group and assigned to the experimental and control groups. In addition to the Personal Information Form, the Flourishing Scale, the Nature Relatedness Scale, and the Depression Stress and Anxiety Scale (DASS21) were applied to the study group as pretest-posttest. Socializing, hiking, gardening, and human-animal interaction activities were held in the group work sessions consisting of 6 sessions on Saturdays at 13.00. In addition to all these activities, some documentaries on ecology were also suggested for the participants to watch, to be discussed in different sessions. The collected data were analyzed in the SPSS 22.0 package program. At the end of the group work, it was observed that there was a significant difference in the total scores of the Flourishing Scale, the Nature Relatedness Scale, and Depression Stress and Anxiety Scale (DASS21) of LGBTQ+ people in the experimental group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunus Kara
- Faculty of Economics, Administrative and Social Sciences, Department of Social Work, Altınbaş University, Istanbul, Turkey
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4
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Benedetti V, Giganti F, Cotugno M, Noferini C, Gavazzi G, Gronchi G, Righi S, Meneguzzo F, Becheri FR, Li Q, Viggiano MP. Interplay among Anxiety, Digital Environmental Exposure, and Cognitive Control: Implications of Natural Settings. Behav Sci (Basel) 2024; 14:323. [PMID: 38667119 PMCID: PMC11047410 DOI: 10.3390/bs14040323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2024] [Revised: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Inhibitory control performance may differ greatly as a function of individual differences such as anxiety. Nonetheless, how cognitive control proficiency might be influenced by exposure to various environments and how anxiety traits might impact these effects remain unexplored. A cohort of thirty healthy volunteers participated in the study. Participants performed a Go/No-Go task before exposure to a 'forest' and 'urban' virtual environment, in a counterbalanced design, before repeating the GNG task. The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) was finally filled-in. Our findings unveiled an initial negative correlation between anxiety trait levels and GNG task performance, consistent with the established literature attributing difficulties in inhibitory functionality to anxiety. Additionally, different environmental exposures reported opposite trends. Exposure to the 'forest' environment distinctly improved the GNG performance in relation to anxiety traits, while the 'urban' setting demonstrated adverse effects on task performance. These results underscore the intricate relationship among cognitive control, environmental exposure, and trait anxiety. In particular, our findings highlight the potential of natural settings, such as forests, to mitigate the impact of anxiety on inhibition. This might have implications for interventions aimed at improving cognitive control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viola Benedetti
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child’s Health (NEUROFARBA), University of Florence, 50135 Florence, Italy; (V.B.); (F.G.); (M.C.); (C.N.); (G.G.); (G.G.); (S.R.)
| | - Fiorenza Giganti
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child’s Health (NEUROFARBA), University of Florence, 50135 Florence, Italy; (V.B.); (F.G.); (M.C.); (C.N.); (G.G.); (G.G.); (S.R.)
| | - Maria Cotugno
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child’s Health (NEUROFARBA), University of Florence, 50135 Florence, Italy; (V.B.); (F.G.); (M.C.); (C.N.); (G.G.); (G.G.); (S.R.)
| | - Chiara Noferini
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child’s Health (NEUROFARBA), University of Florence, 50135 Florence, Italy; (V.B.); (F.G.); (M.C.); (C.N.); (G.G.); (G.G.); (S.R.)
- European Laboratory for Non-Linear Spectroscopy, University of Florence, Sesto Fiorentino, 50019 Florence, Italy
| | - Gioele Gavazzi
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child’s Health (NEUROFARBA), University of Florence, 50135 Florence, Italy; (V.B.); (F.G.); (M.C.); (C.N.); (G.G.); (G.G.); (S.R.)
| | - Giorgio Gronchi
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child’s Health (NEUROFARBA), University of Florence, 50135 Florence, Italy; (V.B.); (F.G.); (M.C.); (C.N.); (G.G.); (G.G.); (S.R.)
| | - Stefania Righi
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child’s Health (NEUROFARBA), University of Florence, 50135 Florence, Italy; (V.B.); (F.G.); (M.C.); (C.N.); (G.G.); (G.G.); (S.R.)
| | - Francesco Meneguzzo
- Institute of Bioeconomy, National Research Council, 10 Via Madonna del Piano, Sesto Fiorentino, 50019 Florence, Italy;
- Central Scientific Committee, Italian Alpine Club, 19 Via E. Petrella, 20124 Milano, Italy
| | | | - Qing Li
- Department of Rehabilitation and Physical Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine—Nippon Medical School, 1-1-5 Sendagi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8603, Japan;
| | - Maria Pia Viggiano
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child’s Health (NEUROFARBA), University of Florence, 50135 Florence, Italy; (V.B.); (F.G.); (M.C.); (C.N.); (G.G.); (G.G.); (S.R.)
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5
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Freymueller J, Schmid HL, Senkler B, Lopez Lumbi S, Zerbe S, Hornberg C, McCall T. Current methodologies of greenspace exposure and mental health research-a scoping review. Front Public Health 2024; 12:1360134. [PMID: 38510363 PMCID: PMC10951718 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1360134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Greenspaces can provide an important resource for human mental health. A growing body of literature investigates the interaction and the influence of diverse greenspace exposures. In order to gain a comprehensive understanding of the complex connection between greenspace and mental health, a variety of perspectives and methodological combinations are needed. The aim of this review is to assess the current methodologies researching greenspace and mental health. Methods A scoping review was conducted. Four electronic databases (Pubmed, Embase, PsycInfo, Web of Science) were searched for relevant studies. A wide range of greenspace and mental health keywords were included to provide a comprehensive representation of the body of research. Relevant information on publication characteristics, types of greenspaces, mental health outcomes, and measurements of greenspace exposure and mental health was extracted and assessed. Results 338 studies were included. The included studies encompassed a multitude of methods, as well as outcomes for both greenspace and mental health. 28 combinations were found between seven categories each for greenspace and mental health assessment. Some pairings such as geoinformation systems for greenspace assessment and questionnaires investigating mental health were used much more frequently than others, implying possible research gaps. Furthermore, we identified problems and inconsistences in reporting of greenspace types and mental health outcomes. Discussion The identified methodological variety is a potential for researching the complex connections between greenspace and mental health. Commonly used combinations can provide important insights. However, future research needs to emphasize other perspectives in order to understand how to create living environments with mental health benefits. For this purpose, interdisciplinary research is necessary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julius Freymueller
- Medical School OWL, Department of Sustainable Environmental Health Sciences, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Hannah-Lea Schmid
- Medical School OWL, Department of Sustainable Environmental Health Sciences, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Ben Senkler
- Medical School OWL, Department of Sustainable Environmental Health Sciences, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Susanne Lopez Lumbi
- Medical School OWL, Department of Sustainable Environmental Health Sciences, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Stefan Zerbe
- Faculty of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Sciences, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Bolzano, Italy
- Institute of Geography, University of Hildesheim, Hildesheim, Germany
| | - Claudia Hornberg
- Medical School OWL, Department of Sustainable Environmental Health Sciences, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Timothy McCall
- Medical School OWL, Department of Sustainable Environmental Health Sciences, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
- School of Public Health, Department of Environment and Health, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
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Liu F, Zhou Y, Hu J. An attention-based approach for assessing the effectiveness of emotion-evoking in immersive environment. Heliyon 2024; 10:e25017. [PMID: 38317941 PMCID: PMC10838792 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e25017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2023] [Revised: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Visual stimuli within an immersive virtual environment impact human perception and behavior in notably different ways compared to the real world. Previous studies have presented evidence indicating that individuals in various emotional states exhibit an unconscious attentional bias toward either positive or negative stimuli. However, whether these findings can be replicated within an immersive virtual environment remains uncertain. In this study, we devised an attention-based experiment to explore whether the correlation between participants' emotional states and the valence of visual stimuli influences their attentional bias. Participants (n=28) viewed 360-degree videos with varying valence levels (positive and negative) to evoke emotions. Subsequently, we utilized standard emotional human faces as stimuli to assess how the consistency in video valence and emotional faces affects reaction time (RT) in Go tasks and error rates in No-go tasks. We employed the Ex-Gaussian approach to analyze the RT data. The parameters-mu (μ), sigma (σ), and tau (τ)-were computed to denote response speed and attentional lapses, respectively. Our findings revealed a significant increase in tau (τ) when the valence of the video and emotional faces aligned. This suggests that the Go/No-go paradigm is effective in evaluating the impact of emotion-evoking stimuli within an immersive environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Liu
- School of Computer Science and Technology, East China Normal University, 3663 Zhongshan North Road, Shanghai, 200062, China
- New York University Shanghai, No. 567, Yangsi West Road, Pudong District, Shanghai, 200122, China
| | - Yihao Zhou
- School of Computer Science and Technology, East China Normal University, 3663 Zhongshan North Road, Shanghai, 200062, China
| | - Jingyi Hu
- Faculty of Economics and Management, East China Normal University, 3663 Zhongshan North Road, Shanghai, 200062, China
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7
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Farris S, Dempsey N, McEwan K, Hoyle H, Cameron R. Does increasing biodiversity in an urban woodland setting promote positive emotional responses in humans? A stress recovery experiment using 360-degree videos of an urban woodland. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0297179. [PMID: 38324517 PMCID: PMC10849218 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0297179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 12/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Green spaces can support human stress reduction and foster positive emotional well-being. Previous research has suggested that biodiversity (i.e. the variety of species of plants and animals in a given location) can enhance recovery from stress even further. However, there is limited experimental evidence testing this hypothesis and results, to date, have been mixed. This study aimed to provide further understanding of the role of biodiversity (actual or perceived) on human well-being by experimentally manipulating species richness and stress. Participants (372 in total) took part in an online experiment, where they received an episode of mild stress before watching a 360-degree video to recover. The video showed the same location, an urban woodland, but at one of four artificially manipulated levels of biodiversity. The participants reported their Positive and Negative Affect before and after the stress induction and after watching the video, providing a measure of their stress and well-being throughout the experiment. Participants also reported their perceptions of biodiversity (i.e. how diverse they thought the location was) and elaborated on their responses with brief comments. Repeated Measure Analysis of Variance revealed that exposure to all levels of biodiversity reduced the participants' Negative Affect, but with no significant difference between the conditions. However, the analysis showed higher Positive Affect in those participants who perceived the environment as more biodiverse. Comments from participants indicated that those who reported noticing flowers and trees in the environment also showed higher Positive Affect. This suggests that perceiving biodiversity promotes more positive emotions, but critically one needs to actually notice (engage with) the components of biodiversity to elicit these extra benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Farris
- Department of Landscape Architecture, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Nicola Dempsey
- Department of Landscape Architecture, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Kirsten McEwan
- College of Health, Psychology and Social Care, University of Derby, Derby, United Kingdom
| | - Helen Hoyle
- Department of Landscape Architecture, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Ross Cameron
- Department of Landscape Architecture, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
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8
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Bolouki A. The impact of virtual reality natural and built environments on affective responses: a systematic review and meta-analysis. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH 2024; 34:73-89. [PMID: 36201684 DOI: 10.1080/09603123.2022.2130881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
This study aims to evaluate the extent to which virtual reality (VR) natural and built settings affect emotional states. Web of Science, SCOPUS, and PubMed were searched for relevant articles prior to February 2022. Of 15 articles identified for systematic review, 6 met the inclusion criteria for meta-analysis (studies with only pre- and post-condition measures of the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) were included). Both positive affect (g = 0.20, p = 0.001) and negative affect (g = - 0.30, p = 0.001) change scores for the VR natural environment were statistically significant. On the other hand, change scores for VR built environment were not significant in both positive affect (g = - 0.08, p = 0.355) and negative affect (g = - 0.08, p = 0.058). The findings revealed that, in addition to a VR natural environment, a VR built environment is capable of providing restorative experiences against negative mood in some circumstances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmad Bolouki
- Master of urban design, Tehran University of Art, Tehran, Iran
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9
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Lee MJ, Pradeep A, Lobner K, Badaki-Makun O. The effect of nature exposure on pain experience and quality of life in patients with chronic pain: A systematic review and meta-analysis protocol. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0291053. [PMID: 37768931 PMCID: PMC10538778 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0291053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/30/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chronic pain is a complex condition with short and long-term effects on physical and psychosocial health. Nature exposure therapy has been investigated as a potential non-pharmacological intervention to improve physical and emotional health of individuals with chronic pain. This proposed systematic review aims to examine the effects of nature exposure therapy on pain experience and quality of life in patients with chronic pain. METHODS Studies will be identified by searching the MEDLINE, Embase and Cumulative Index for Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) databases. All included studies will be required to be interventional controlled trials comparing nature exposure therapy to placebo or standard care in patients with chronic pain. Primary outcomes for this review will be pain intensity and quality of life scores. Secondary outcomes will include self-efficacy, depression and pain-related anxiety scores. If 2 or more studies are included, results will be pooled for meta-analysis. If meta-analysis is not possible, the results will be presented in a narrative form. DISCUSSION Given the adverse effects of opioid use, non-pharmacological interventions are a necessary alternative to treat patients with chronic pain. Nature exposure therapy is an intriguing example of such an intervention. We hope that this systematic review will guide future clinical decision-making for patients with chronic pain and provide evidence for or against the need for natural spaces and improved urban planning. TRIAL REGISTRATION PROSPERO registration number: CRD42021226949.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J. Lee
- Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine, Nutley, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Aishwarya Pradeep
- Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine, Rochester, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Katie Lobner
- Johns Hopkins Welch Medical Library, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Oluwakemi Badaki-Makun
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
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10
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Navarrete-Hernandez P, Laffan K. The impact of small-scale green infrastructure on the affective wellbeing associated with urban sites. Sci Rep 2023; 13:9687. [PMID: 37322222 PMCID: PMC10272133 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-35804-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The largest public space in any city is its streets. Investments which incorporate small-scale green infrastructure into streetscapes can bring more nature into the lives of urban residents worldwide, including those living in even the most economically and spatially constraint places. However, little is known about the impact of such small-scale investments on urban residents' affective perceptions of their local environments and how to design these investments to maximise their positive impacts. In the current study, we use photo simulation techniques and an adapted form of the Positive and Negative Affective Schedule to examine the impact of small-scale green infrastructure interventions on the affective perceptions of low, middle and high-income sites in Santiago Chile. Our results, based on 62,478 reports of affective perceptions from 3,472 people, indicate that green infrastructure investments can both promote positive affect and, to a lesser, but still substantial extent reduce negative affect. The magnitudes of these relationships vary across discrete affective measures and for many of these measures, both positive and negative, a minimum of 16% increase in green coverage is required to see an impact. Finally, we find people associated lower affect with low, compared to middle and high, income sites but that these affective inequalities can be addressed, at least in part, through green infrastructure interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Navarrete-Hernandez
- Department of Landscape Architecture, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK.
| | - Kate Laffan
- Department of Psychological and Behavioural Science, The London School of Economics, Houghton Street, London, WC2A 2AE, UK
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11
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Mostajeran F, Steinicke F, Reinhart S, Stuerzlinger W, Riecke BE, Kühn S. Adding virtual plants leads to higher cognitive performance and psychological well-being in virtual reality. Sci Rep 2023; 13:8053. [PMID: 37198210 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-34718-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Previous research has shown the positive effects of exposure to real and virtual nature. To investigate how such benefits might generalize to ever-more-prevalent virtual workplaces, we examined the effects of the absence or presence of virtual plants in an office environment in Virtual Reality (VR) on users' cognitive performance and psychological well-being. The results of our user study with 39 participants show that in the presence of virtual plants, participants performed significantly better in both short-term memory and creativity tasks. Furthermore, they reported higher psychological well-being scores, including positive affect and attentive coping, whilst reporting lower feelings of anger and aggression after exposure to virtual plants in VR. The virtual office with plants was also perceived as more restorative and induced a higher sense of presence. Overall, these results highlight how the presence of virtual plants in VR can have positive influences on users, and therefore, constitute important design considerations when developing future working and learning spaces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fariba Mostajeran
- Human-Computer Interaction Group, Department of Informatics, Universitāt Hamburg, 22527, Hamburg, Germany.
| | - Frank Steinicke
- Human-Computer Interaction Group, Department of Informatics, Universitāt Hamburg, 22527, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Sarah Reinhart
- Human-Computer Interaction Group, Department of Informatics, Universitāt Hamburg, 22527, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Stuerzlinger
- VVISE Lab, School of Interactive Arts and Technology, Simon Fraser University, Surrey, BC, V3T 0A3, Canada
| | - Bernhard E Riecke
- iSpace Lab, School of Interactive Arts and Technology, Simon Fraser University, Surrey, BC, V3T 0A3, Canada
| | - Simone Kühn
- Neural Plasticity Group, Clinic and Polyclinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246, Hamburg, Germany
- Lise Meitner Group for Environmental Neuroscience, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, 14195, Berlin, Germany
- Max Planck-UCL Center for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, 14159, Berlin, Germany
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12
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Suseno B, Hastjarjo TD. The effect of simulated natural environments in virtual reality and 2D video to reduce stress. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1016652. [PMID: 37251017 PMCID: PMC10214952 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1016652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Stress is a common problem associated with poor physical and psychological health. Exposure to the natural environment is one method for reducing stress. The real and simulated natural environments have a restorative effect on stress reduction. In contrast to the real environment, simulated natural environments, such as virtual reality and 2D video, provide safer and more controllable exposure. Several studies on the restorative effects of the natural environment in virtual reality and 2D video have been conducted. However, the difference between the two in reducing stress must be clarified. This study was conducted to determine the effect of the simulated natural environments in virtual reality and 2D video and their differences in reducing stress. This study hypothesizes that both simulated natural environments in virtual reality and 2D video can reduce stress, but there is a difference between them in reducing stress. Fifty-three subjects were divided into two experimental groups: 2D video (n = 28) and virtual reality (n = 25). The results indicated that simulated natural environments in virtual reality and 2D video reduced stress. However, there was no difference between the two groups regarding stress reduction.
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13
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Rodriguez M, Kross E. Sensory emotion regulation. Trends Cogn Sci 2023; 27:379-390. [PMID: 36805103 DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2023.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Revised: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
Abstract
Decades of evidence reveal intimate links between sensation and emotion. Yet, discussion of sensory experiences as tools that promote emotion regulation is largely absent from current theorizing on this topic. Here, we address this gap by integrating evidence from social-personality, clinical, cognitive-neuroscience, and animal research to highlight the role of sensation as a tool that can be harnessed to up- or downregulate emotion. Further, we review evidence implicating sensation as a rapid and relatively effortless emotion regulation modality and highlight future research directions. Notably, we emphasize the need to examine the duration of sensory emotion regulation effects, the moderating role of individual and cultural differences, and how sensory strategies interact with other strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Micaela Rodriguez
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
| | - Ethan Kross
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Ross School of Business, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
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14
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Pavic K, Chaby L, Gricourt T, Vergilino-Perez D. Feeling Virtually Present Makes Me Happier: The Influence of Immersion, Sense of Presence, and Video Contents on Positive Emotion Induction. CYBERPSYCHOLOGY, BEHAVIOR, AND SOCIAL NETWORKING 2023; 26:238-245. [PMID: 37001171 PMCID: PMC10125398 DOI: 10.1089/cyber.2022.0245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/03/2023]
Abstract
Immersive technologies, such as Virtual Reality (VR), have great potential for enhancing users' emotions and wellbeing. However, how immersion, Virtual Environment contents, and sense of presence (SoP) influence emotional responses remains to be clarified to efficiently foster positive emotions. Consequently, a total of 26 participants (16 women, 10 men, 22.73 ± 2.69 years old) were exposed to 360-degree videos of natural and social contents on both a highly immersive Head-Mounted Display and a low immersive computer screen. Subjective emotional responses and SoP were assessed after each video using self-reports, while a wearable wristband collected continuously electrodermal activity and heart rate to record physiological emotional responses. Findings supported the added value of immersion, as more positive emotions and greater subjective arousal were reported after viewing the videos in the highly immersive setting, regardless of the video contents. In addition to usually employed natural contents, the findings also provide initial evidence for the effectiveness of social contents in eliciting positive emotions. Finally, structural equation models shed light on the indirect effect of immersion, through spatial and spatial SoP on subjective arousal. Overall, these are encouraging results about the effectiveness of VR for fostering positive emotions. Future studies should further investigate the influence of user characteristics on VR experiences to foster efficiently positive emotions among a broad range of potential users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarina Pavic
- Université Paris Cité, Vision Action Cognition (VAC), Boulogne-Billancourt, France
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Institut des Systèmes Intelligents et de Robotique (ISIR), Paris, France
- Research and Development Department, SocialDream, Bourg-de-Péage, France
- Address correspondence to: Dr. Katarina Pavic, Université Paris Cité, Vision Action Cognition (VAC), 71 Avenue Edouard Vaillant, Boulogne-Billancourt Cedex 92774, France
| | - Laurence Chaby
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Institut des Systèmes Intelligents et de Robotique (ISIR), Paris, France
- Université Paris Cité, UFR de Psychologie, Boulogne-Billancourt, France
| | - Thierry Gricourt
- Research and Development Department, SocialDream, Bourg-de-Péage, France
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15
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Theodorou A, Spano G, Bratman GN, Monneron K, Sanesi G, Carrus G, Imperatori C, Panno A. Emotion regulation and virtual nature: cognitive reappraisal as an individual-level moderator for impacts on subjective vitality. Sci Rep 2023; 13:5028. [PMID: 36977705 PMCID: PMC10043509 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-30287-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
People who make habitual use of an emotion regulation strategy such as cognitive reappraisal may be more sensitive to the emotion cues coming from a surrounding natural environment and, thus, get more benefits from virtual nature exposure such as enhanced subjective vitality. However, no previous study investigated the moderating role of cognitive reappraisal in the relationship between exposure to different types of natural environments (a national park, a lacustrine environment, and an arctic environment vs. an urban environment) and subjective vitality. We designed a between-subject design (four conditions, one per type of environment) with a sample of 187 university students (Mage = 21.17, SD = 2.55). Participants were exposed to four 360° panoramic photos of the environment for one minute each with a virtual reality head-mounted display. The results of a multicategorical moderation analysis attested that there were two significant interactions, respectively between lacustrine and arctic environments and cognitive reappraisal. More specifically, for participants with low levels of habitual use of cognitive reappraisal, the effects of virtual nature (vs. urban) exposure on subjective vitality were not significant, while for participants with high levels, the effects were significant and positive. Findings show how the potential of virtual nature may be boosted with training aimed at increasing the general use of cognitive reappraisal, supports enhancing the applications of virtual nature, and demonstrates the need to take individual differences into account when determining the benefits of these applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annalisa Theodorou
- Department of Education, Roma Tre University, 20 Via del Castro Pretorio, 00185, Rome, Italy.
| | - Giuseppina Spano
- Department of Education, Psychology, Communication Sciences, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Gregory N Bratman
- School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, USA
| | - Kevin Monneron
- Geographic Research and Application Laboratory (GREAL), European University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Giovanni Sanesi
- Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Carrus
- Department of Education, Roma Tre University, 20 Via del Castro Pretorio, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Angelo Panno
- Department of Human Science, European University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
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Li C, Du C, Ge S, Tong T. An eye-tracking study on visual perception of vegetation permeability in virtual reality forest exposure. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1089423. [PMID: 36761146 PMCID: PMC9902884 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1089423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Previous studies have confirmed the significant effects of single forest stand attributes, such as forest type (FT), understory vegetation cover (UVC), and understory vegetation height (UVH) on visitors' visual perception. However, rarely study has yet clearly determined the relationship between vegetation permeability and visual perception, while the former is formed by the interaction of multiple forest stand attributes (i.e., FT, UVC, UVH). Based on a mixed factor matrix of FT (i.e., coniferous forests and broadleaf), UVC level (i.e., 10, 60, and 100%), and UVH level (0.1, 1, and 3 m), the study creates 18 immersive virtual forest videos with different stand attributes. Virtual reality eye-tracking technology and questionnaires are used to collect visual perception data from viewing virtual forest videos. The study finds that vegetation permeability which is formed by the interaction effect of canopy density (i.e., FT) and understory density (i.e., UVC, UVH), significantly affects participant's visual perception: in terms of visual physiology characteristics, pupil size is significantly negatively correlated with vegetation permeability when participants are viewing virtual reality forest; in terms of visual psychological characteristics, the understory density formed by the interaction of UVC and UVH has a significant impact on visual attractiveness and perceived safety and the impact in which understory density is significantly negatively correlated with perceived safety. Apart from these, the study finds a significant negative correlation between average pupil diameter and perceived safety when participants are viewing virtual reality forests. The findings may be beneficial for the maintenance and management of forest parks, as well as provide insights into similar studies to explore urban public green spaces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chang Li
- School of Architecture and Urban Planning, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou, China,*Correspondence: Chang Li ✉
| | - Chunlan Du
- Key Laboratory of New Technology for Construction of Cities in Mountain Area, Ministry of Education, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China,School of Architecture and Urban Planning, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China,Chunlan Du ✉
| | - Shutong Ge
- School of Architecture and Urban Planning, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou, China
| | - Tong Tong
- School of Architecture and Urban Planning, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou, China
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Zhang G, Wu G, Yang J. The restorative effects of short-term exposure to nature in immersive virtual environments (IVEs) as evidenced by participants' brain activities. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2023; 326:116830. [PMID: 36435136 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.116830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Revised: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Short-term exposure to nature has excellent potential to be used as a public health intervention measure. Nevertheless, the physiological and psychological mechanisms of this health benefit are still unclear. In this study, we intend to verify the effects of short-term exposure to nature on psychological functioning and to explore the underlying mechanism through experiments conducted in immersive virtual environments (IVEs). Participants were randomly exposed to videos of an urban forest and an indoor environment in IVEs. Before and after the exposure, a participant's self-perceived stress and cognitive performance were measured using the PSS-14 form and the Stroop task, respectively. Their brain activities during the exposure were measured using the electroencephalogram (EEG). The PSS-14 and the Stroop task results confirmed the benefits of stress reduction and cognitive performance improvements from short-term nature exposure. At the same time, rhythmic brain activities during nature exposure indicated better attentional states. The electrodes around the parietal region detected significantly stronger power spectral density of the theta band than other bands. Also, participants showed high functional connectivity among different brain parts during nature exposure, which revealed better cognitive flexibility. The topographic pattern of the differences in functional connectivity overlapped well with the default mode network (DMN)-a "task-negative" network active during the resting state. The overlap indicated a lower cognitive processing load when exposing to nature. Our results support the hypothesis that nature's restorative effects mainly come from effortless processing in natural environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaochao Zhang
- School of Architecture, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China.
| | - Guowei Wu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
| | - Jun Yang
- Department of Earth System Science, Institute for Global Change Studies, Ministry of Education Ecological Field Station for East Asian Migratory Birds, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.
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18
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Li H, Ding Y, Zhao B, Xu Y, Wei W. Effects of immersion in a simulated natural environment on stress reduction and emotional arousal: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Front Psychol 2023; 13:1058177. [PMID: 36698558 PMCID: PMC9869155 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1058177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Although the mental health benefits of exposure to simulated natural environments are well established by researchers from environmental psychology, landscape architecture, and public health, it is unclear whether and to what extent technological immersion affects these benefits. Methods Systematical literature searches were conducted in May 2022 from six databases. The risk of bias was evaluated using the Cochrane's Risk of Bias tool 2.0 and the Risk of Bias in Non-randomized Studies of Interventions tool. We performed a random-effects meta-regression to investigate the heterogeneity. The immersion levels of included studies were classified by projection devices and motion capture, and then subgroup analysis was conducted. Results Twenty-six publications were included. Exposure to simulated nature was confirmed to be associated with increased positive affect 0.40 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.22, 0.58], vigor 0.58 (95% CI: 0.30, 0.86), calmness 0.54 (95% CI: 0.17, 0.92) and decreased perceived stress -0.38 (95% CI: -0.71, -0.06), total mood disturbance -0.87 (95% CI: -1.17, -0.57), tension -0.70 (95% CI: -0.99, -0.41), fatigue -0.60 (95% CI: -0.91, -0.28), anxiety -0.72 (95% CI: -1.43, -0.02), depression -0.33 (95% CI: -0.52, -0.14), confusion -0.79 (95% CI: -1.19, -0.40), and anger -0.54 (95% CI: -0.76, -0.31). Gender, health status, study design, mean age, and single exposure duration were not significant when entered in a meta-regression. For positive affect, medium immersion was observed to produce a larger effect than low and high immersion. All included studies had a moderate to high risk of bias. Conclusion Audio-visual exposure to simulated nature contributes to stress relief and emotional arousal. The immersion level explains the heterogeneity of positive affect triggered by simulated nature. Focusing on the technical features will open up new possibilities for combining actual and simulated nature's mental health benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongyi Li
- The College of Landscape Architecture, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yujun Ding
- The College of Landscape Architecture, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China
| | - Bing Zhao
- The College of Landscape Architecture, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yuhang Xu
- The College of Landscape Architecture, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China
| | - Wei Wei
- The College of Environmental Science, Nanjing Xiaozhuang University, Nanjing, China,*Correspondence: Wei Wei, ✉
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Effects of exposure to immersive computer-generated virtual nature and control environments on affect and cognition. Sci Rep 2023; 13:220. [PMID: 36604527 PMCID: PMC9815073 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-26750-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Previous research has shown that exposure to immersive virtual nature environments is able to induce positive affective and physiological effects. However, research on the effects on cognitive performance is scarce. Additionally, the effects of virtual nature exposure compared to a virtual control environment with a comparable amount of virtual objects have not been examined so far. Therefore, we conducted an experiment with 27 participants to study the psychological effects of such exposure. The virtual nature consisted of a 3D model of a typical forest environment, whereas the control environment was an abstract replication of the virtual forest environment. In both environments, a virtual wooden cart was used to transport the users from the start to the end of the virtual road. The typical background noise of moving such a cart was integrated into both environments as well. In addition, the virtual nature environment included typical forest sounds in the background, whereas the control condition did not have such background sounds. Both environments were compared with regard to their effects on cognitive performance (using trail making tests (TMTA, TMTB, and TMTB-A) as well as digit span forward and digit span backward tests), perceived restorativeness, mood, stress, sense of presence, and simulator sickness. The results showed that in comparison to the control environment, exposure to the virtual nature resulted in significantly higher cognitive performance, higher perceived restorativeness, higher positive affect, higher sense of presence, lower perceived stress, and lower simulator sickness.
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Litleskare S, Calogiuri G. Seasonal Variations in the Effectiveness of Immersive Virtual Nature. HERD-HEALTH ENVIRONMENTS RESEARCH & DESIGN JOURNAL 2023; 16:219-232. [PMID: 36154715 PMCID: PMC9755693 DOI: 10.1177/19375867221127420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
AIM The aim of this study was to assess whether the outcomes of immersive virtual nature (IVN) varies between seasons. BACKGROUND IVN has received increased interest in recent years due to its potential applications within health and design. However, factors influencing people's responses to IVN are largely unknown. Seasons affect a variety of human processes and behaviors including levels of affect and blood pressure, also in the context of human-nature interactions. These seasonal variations might influence how people interact and respond to IVN, especially since IVN allow for representations of nature that are not representative of the current real-life season. METHODS A secondary analysis of data retrieved from two previous studies, which included three IVN conditions, was conducted. All IVNs represented late spring conditions. Measures included perceived environmental restorativeness, affect, enjoyment, heart rate, and blood pressure. A meta-analytic approach was used to assess whether there were consistent differences between participants who were exposed to the IVN in spring/summer (early June to mid-September) and autumn/winter (mid-September to December) across the three different conditions. RESULTS There was a consistent effect of season only for one component of affect (fatigue), with larger reductions in fatigue when exposed to IVN during autumn/winter compared to spring/summer. No other significant effects of season were observed. CONCLUSION IVNs are feasible to use across all seasons but might be more effective in reducing the feeling of fatigue during autumn and winter compared to other seasons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sigbjørn Litleskare
- Department of Public Health and Sport Sciences, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Elverum, Norway,Sigbjørn Litleskare, MSc, Høgskolen i Innlandet, Postboks 400, 2418 Elverum, Norway.
| | - Giovanna Calogiuri
- Department of Public Health and Sport Sciences, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Elverum, Norway,Centre for Health and Technology, Department of Nursing and Health Sciences, University of South-Eastern Norway, Drammen, Norway
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21
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van Oordt M, Ouwehand K, Paas F. Restorative Effects of Observing Natural and Urban Scenery after Working Memory Depletion. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 20:188. [PMID: 36612512 PMCID: PMC9819488 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20010188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Revised: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
According to attention restoration theory observing nature has restorative effects on cognitive components, such as working memory, after a cognitive depleting task. Additionally, urban environments are thought to have no effect or even a negative effect on cognitive restoration. Previous research has confirmed that observing actual, as well as digitally presented nature sceneries leads to more restoration of working memory capacity (WMC) than observing (digital) urban sceneries. To further investigate these findings, we conducted an experiment with 72 university students as participants. After a WMC depleting task, participants observed either digitally presented nature scenery, urban scenery or no scenery, and subsequently performed a digit span test, which was used to measure restoration of WMC. Results indicated significant higher performance on the digit span test for those who observed nature scenery in comparison to those who observed urban scenery or no scenery, thereby replicating results from previous research. Observing urban scenery was neither harmful nor helpful in terms of cognitive restoration compared to observing no scenery. These findings provide a foundation for implementing a brief intervention of observing nature in academic settings to facilitate the restoration of WMC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Menno van Oordt
- Department of Psychology, Education, and Child Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam, 3062 PA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Kim Ouwehand
- Department of Psychology, Education, and Child Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam, 3062 PA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Fred Paas
- Department of Psychology, Education, and Child Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam, 3062 PA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- School of Education/Early Start, University of Wollongong, Keiraville, NSW 2522, Australia
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22
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Büssing A, Recchia DR, Baumann K. Experience of nature and times of silence as a resource to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic and their effects on psychological wellbeing-Findings from a continuous cross-sectional survey in Germany. Front Public Health 2022; 10:1020053. [PMID: 36420008 PMCID: PMC9678082 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.1020053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The COVID-19 pandemic with its lockdowns affected social relations and mental health conditions of people worldwide. We aimed to analyze the relevance of nature and times of silence as resources to cope with the pandemic. Of interest were how experiences of nature and times of silence are related to the perception of wondering awe and gratitude and psychological wellbeing and how these have changed during the different phases of the pandemic. Finally, we asked whether Nature/Silence would mediate the link between Awe/Gratitude and wellbeing. Methods A cross-sectional survey with standardized questionnaires (i.e., PCQ, GrAw-7, BMLSS-10, WHO-5) enrolling participants during the different phases of the COVID-19 pandemic was conducted. The total sample of 5,155 participants from Germany consisted of 65% women and 34% men, with a mean age of 45.0 ± 14.0 years. Results Directly after the first lockdown, Nature/Silence and Awe/Gratitude scores were high and decreased along with wellbeing with the onset of the second lockdown in winter 2020, while perceived burden constantly increased. Nature/Silence was rated lowest by people with reduced wellbeing (eta2 = 0.058) and feeling lonely or socially isolated (eta2 = 0.042). Predictor analyses revealed that wellbeing as a dependent variable was predicted best by corona-related perception of burden, Awe/Gratitude, reflection of life, and Nature/Silence and further by perceived changes in terms of relationships and spirituality (R2 = 0.55). In mediation analyses, Awe/Gratitude proved to be a significant predictor for Nature/Silence (β = 0.55, p< 0.0001) and wellbeing (β = 0.05, p < 0.0001). The mediation analysis explained 37% of the variability in the data. The direct influence of Awe/Gratitude on wellbeing was estimated as β = 0.09 (p < 0.0001), and the mediation effect of Nature/Silence on the link between Awe/Gratitude and wellbeing was significant, too (β = 0.03, p < 0.0001), explaining 25% of the total effect. Conclusion Nature/Silence and Awe/Gratitude were used as relevant resources during the pandemic, although they cannot fully buffer the negative effects of the social restrictions that resulted in decreases in wellbeing and increases in perceived burden. Perception of nature as a sensitizer of positive experiences particularly during difficult phases of life could be trained to stabilize wellbeing and thus to contribute to public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arndt Büssing
- Professorship Quality of Life, Spirituality and Coping, Faculty of Health, Witten/Herdecke University, Herdecke, Germany
- IUNCTUS - Competence Center for Christian Spirituality, Philosophical-Theological Academy, Münster, Germany
| | - Daniela Rodrigues Recchia
- Department of Research Methods and Statistics in Psychology, Faculty of Health, Witten/Herdecke University, Witten, Germany
| | - Klaus Baumann
- Caritas Science and Christian Social Work, Faculty of Theology, Albert-Ludwig-University, Freiburg, Germany
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Mavros P, J Wälti M, Nazemi M, Ong CH, Hölscher C. A mobile EEG study on the psychophysiological effects of walking and crowding in indoor and outdoor urban environments. Sci Rep 2022; 12:18476. [PMID: 36323718 PMCID: PMC9628500 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-20649-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 09/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Environmental psychologists have established multiple psychological benefits of interaction with natural, compared to urban, environments on emotion, cognition, and attention. Yet, given the increasing urbanisation worldwide, it is equally important to understand how differences within different urban environments influence human psychological experience. We developed a laboratory experiment to examine the psychophysiological effects of the physical (outdoor or indoor) and social (crowded versus uncrowded) environment in healthy young adults, and to validate the use of mobile electroencephalography (EEG) and electrodermal activity (EDA) measurements during active walking. Participants (N = 42) were randomly assigned into a walking or a standing group, and watched six 1-min walk-through videos of green, urban indoor and urban outdoor environments, depicting high or low levels of social density. Self-reported emotional states show that green spaces is perceived as more calm and positive, and reduce attentional demands. Further, the outdoor urban space is perceived more positively than the indoor environment. These findings are consistent with earlier studies on the psychological benefits of nature and confirm the effectiveness of our paradigm and stimuli. In addition, we hypothesised that even short-term exposure to crowded scenes would have negative psychological effects. We found that crowded scenes evoked higher self-reported arousal, more negative self-reported valence, and recruited more cognitive and attentional resources. However, in walking participants, they evoked higher frontal alpha asymmetry, suggesting more positive affective responses. Furthermore, we found that using recent signal-processing methods, the EEG data produced a comparable signal-to-noise ratio between walking and standing, and that despite differences between walking and standing, skin-conductance also captured effectively psychophysiological responses to stimuli. These results suggest that emotional responses to visually presented stimuli can be measured effectively using mobile EEG and EDA in ambulatory settings, and that there is complex interaction between active walking, the social density of urban spaces, and direct and indirect affective responses to such environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panagiotis Mavros
- Singapore-ETH Centre, Future Cities Laboratory, CREATE campus, 1 CREATE Way, #06-01 CREATE Tower, Singapore, 138602, Singapore.
| | - Michel J Wälti
- Singapore-ETH Centre, Future Cities Laboratory, CREATE campus, 1 CREATE Way, #06-01 CREATE Tower, Singapore, 138602, Singapore
| | - Mohsen Nazemi
- Singapore-ETH Centre, Future Cities Laboratory, CREATE campus, 1 CREATE Way, #06-01 CREATE Tower, Singapore, 138602, Singapore
| | - Crystal Huiyi Ong
- Singapore-ETH Centre, Future Cities Laboratory, CREATE campus, 1 CREATE Way, #06-01 CREATE Tower, Singapore, 138602, Singapore
- National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Christoph Hölscher
- Singapore-ETH Centre, Future Cities Laboratory, CREATE campus, 1 CREATE Way, #06-01 CREATE Tower, Singapore, 138602, Singapore
- Chair of Cognitive Science, Department of Humanities, Social and Political Sciences, ETH Zürich, Zürich, 8092, Switzerland
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Biener V, Kalamkar S, Nouri N, Ofek E, Pahud M, Dudley JJ, Hu J, Kristensson PO, Weerasinghe M, Pucihar KC, Kljun M, Streuber S, Grubert J. Quantifying the Effects of Working in VR for One Week. IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON VISUALIZATION AND COMPUTER GRAPHICS 2022; 28:3810-3820. [PMID: 36044497 DOI: 10.1109/tvcg.2022.3203103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Virtual Reality (VR) provides new possibilities for modern knowledge work. However, the potential advantages of virtual work environments can only be used if it is feasible to work in them for an extended period of time. Until now, there are limited studies of long-term effects when working in VR. This paper addresses the need for understanding such long-term effects. Specifically, we report on a comparative study $i$, in which participants were working in VR for an entire week-for five days, eight hours each day-as well as in a baseline physical desktop environment. This study aims to quantify the effects of exchanging a desktop-based work environment with a VR-based environment. Hence, during this study, we do not present the participants with the best possible VR system but rather a setup delivering a comparable experience to working in the physical desktop environment. The study reveals that, as expected, VR results in significantly worse ratings across most measures. Among other results, we found concerning levels of simulator sickness, below average usability ratings and two participants dropped out on the first day using VR, due to migraine, nausea and anxiety. Nevertheless, there is some indication that participants gradually overcame negative first impressions and initial discomfort. Overall, this study helps lay the groundwork for subsequent research, by clearly highlighting current shortcomings and identifying opportunities for improving the experience of working in VR.
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25
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Kupczik L, Farrelly W, Wilson S. Appraising Virtual Technologies' Impact on Older Citizens' Mental Health-A Comparative between 360° Video and Virtual Reality. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph191811250. [PMID: 36141517 PMCID: PMC9517141 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191811250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2022] [Revised: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Aging populations across the world are facing a number of challenges in the context of health and healthcare. These challenges are driven by the aging process and the illnesses associated with aging. Healthcare for older people has become a point of concern with most health organizations, and this is particularly the case with palliative care. In this instance, the movement of the patient may be restricted to a room with no or limited access to the outdoors. This research focuses on the active integration of immersive technologies with healthcare. By addressing the problem of providing patients with the experience of being present in an outdoors space, the associated psychological and physiological benefits can be identified. In this mixed methods research paper, the impact of a crossover study to discern technology preferences in relation to immersive technologies among a sample of older people is reported. In addition, the study highlights factors that contribute to a meaningful immersive experience that can improve psychological and physiological wellbeing. The study identifies that there are two significant categorical aspects that contribute to such immersive experiences, technological aspects (including, for example, the weight of headsets, visual impairment, pixelation, and gamification) and emotive aspects (for example, joy, anger, and fear). The study suggests that older people prefer immersive Virtual Reality (VR) environments rather than 360 video experiences. This can be attributed to the greater flexibility in the provision of interactivity in virtual reality systems.
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Michels N, Debra G, Mattheeuws L, Hooyberg A. Indoor nature integration for stress recovery and healthy eating: A picture experiment with plants versus green color. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 212:113643. [PMID: 35688224 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.113643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Revised: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
AIM Urbanized environments may stimulate unhealthy food choices and stress. Several theories explain that exposure to green nature can counter these stress effects. Since we spend most time indoors, integrating nature in the interior could be a promising health promotion tool. Hence, we tested whether the beneficial effect of nature for stress recovery is also present in indoor settings via the use of plants or green colors, and whether it is applicable on eating behavior as a new outcome. METHODS The 92 participants (18-30y, 16% men) were divided into four groups. Each viewed a 6-min slideshow with room pictures containing either green plants, green objects, greyscale plants or greyscale objects to allow distinction between color- and plant-effects. Group differences were tested for the perceived restorativeness scale, psychological recovery and eating behavior. To allow psychological recovery testing, participants were exposed to a stressor before the picture slideshow via the Trier Social Stress Test. The change of self-reports (stress, positive and negative affect) and psychophysiology (heart rate and vagal-induced heart rate variability RMSSD) post-slideshow versus pre-slideshow was checked. Eating behavior outcomes included change in hunger, craving, and food choice (for fruits, vegetables and snacks). RESULTS From the four picture sets, the green plants pictures were reported as most mentally restorative and appeared most beneficial for post-stressor recovery of positive affect, but not for negative affect or stress recovery. The green plants group also had higher preference for vegetables and lower preference or craving for (unhealthy) snacks. Those significant group differences were mainly due to the presence of plants and only occasionally due to the green color. CONCLUSION Indoor green plant pictures were associated with higher mental restorativeness and healthier food choices. Integrating plants in the interior seems to be a relevant health promotion approach, while applying green colors seems less relevant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathalie Michels
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Ghent University, Belgium; Department of Developmental, Personality and Social Psychology, Ghent University, Belgium.
| | - Gillian Debra
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Ghent University, Belgium; Department of Developmental, Personality and Social Psychology, Ghent University, Belgium
| | - Louise Mattheeuws
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Ghent University, Belgium
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The Advances of Immersive Virtual Reality Interventions for the Enhancement of Stress Management and Relaxation among Healthy Adults: A Systematic Review. APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/app12147309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/10/2022]
Abstract
The rapid changes in human contacts due to the COVID-19 crisis have not only posed a huge burden on the population’s health but may have also increased the demand for evidence-based psychological programs delivered through digital technology. A systematic review, following the “Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA)” guidelines, was therefore conducted to explore the advances in stress management interventions utilizing VR and suggest up-to-date directions for future practice. The relevant literature was screened and the search resulted in 22,312 records, of which 16 studies were considered for analysis. The Methodological Index for Non-Randomized Studies (MINORS) was also employed to assess the quality of the included studies. The results suggest that VR-based interventions can facilitate positive changes in subjective stress levels and stress-related biomarkers. However, special attention should be paid to the development of rigorous VR protocols that embrace natural elements and concepts deriving from traditional treatment approaches, such as cognitive behavioral therapy techniques. Overall, this review aims to empower future researchers to grasp the opportunity that the COVID-19 pandemic generated and utilize digital technologies for strengthening individuals’ mental health. Future projects need to conduct large-scale VR studies to evaluate their effectiveness compared to other mental health interventions.
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Litleskare S, Fröhlich F, Flaten OE, Haile A, Kjøs Johnsen SÅ, Calogiuri G. Taking real steps in virtual nature: a randomized blinded trial. VIRTUAL REALITY 2022; 26:1777-1793. [PMID: 35818369 PMCID: PMC9261150 DOI: 10.1007/s10055-022-00670-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Studies show that green exercise (i.e., physical activity in the presence of nature) can provide the synergistic psychophysiological benefits of both physical exercise and nature exposure. The present study aimed to investigate the extent to which virtual green exercise may extend these benefits to people that are unable to engage in active visits to natural environments, as well as to promote enhanced exercise behavior. After watching a video validated to elicit sadness, participants either performed a treadmill walk while exposed to one of two virtual conditions, which were created using different techniques (360° video or 3D model), or walked on a treadmill while facing a blank wall (control). Quantitative and qualitative data were collected in relation to three overarching themes: "Experience," "Physical engagement" and "Psychophysiological recovery." Compared to control, greater enjoyment was found in the 3D model, while lower walking speed was found in the 360° video. No significant differences among conditions were found with respect to heart rate, perceived exertion, or changes in blood pressure and affect. The analysis of qualitative data provided further understanding on the participants' perceptions and experiences. These findings indicate that 3D model-based virtual green exercise can provide some additional benefits compared to indoor exercise, while 360° video-based virtual green exercise may result in lower physical engagement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sigbjørn Litleskare
- Department of Public Health and Sport Sciences, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Elverum, Norway
| | - Fred Fröhlich
- Game School–Department of Game Development, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Hamar, Norway
| | - Ole Einar Flaten
- Game School–Department of Game Development, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Hamar, Norway
| | - Amelia Haile
- Department of Public Health and Sport Sciences, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Elverum, Norway
| | - Svein Åge Kjøs Johnsen
- Department of Psychology, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Lillehammer, Norway
| | - Giovanna Calogiuri
- Department of Public Health and Sport Sciences, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Elverum, Norway
- Department of Nursing and Health Sciences, Centre for Health and Technology, University of South-Eastern Norway, Drammen, Norway
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Zhao J, Lu Y, Zhou F, Mao R, Fei F. Systematic Bibliometric Analysis of Research Hotspots and Trends on the Application of Virtual Reality in Nursing. Front Public Health 2022; 10:906715. [PMID: 35664095 PMCID: PMC9162494 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.906715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background With the emergence of the metaverse, virtual reality, as a digital technology, must be getting hotter. High quality virtual reality related nursing knowledge scene learning is gradually replacing traditional education and intervention skills. Objective This systematic study aimed to gain insights into the overall application of virtual reality technology in the study of nursing. Methods Citations downloaded from the Web of Science Core Collection database for use in VR in nursing publications published from January 1, 2012, to December 31, 2021, were considered in the research. Information retrieval was analyzed using https://bibliometric.com/app, CiteSpace.5.8. R3, and VOS viewer. Results A total of 408 institutions from 95 areas contributed to relevant publications, of which the United States is the most influential country in this research field. The clustering labels of cited documents were obtained from the citing documents. Virtual simulation, virtual learning, clinical skills, and dementia are the clustering labels of co-cited documents. The burst keywords represented the research frontiers in 2020–2021, which were knowledge and simulation. Conclusion Virtual nursing has had an impact on both nurses and clients. With the emergence of the concept of the metaverse, the research and application of virtual reality technology in nursing will gradually increase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junqiang Zhao
- Department of Nursing, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
- Department of Medical Engineering, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
| | - Yi Lu
- Department of Nursing, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
| | - Fujun Zhou
- Department of Children Rehabilitation, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
| | - Ruping Mao
- Department of Nursing, The Affiliated Eye Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- Ruping Mao
| | - Fangqin Fei
- Department of Nursing, The First Affiliated Hospital of Huzhou University, Huzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Fangqin Fei
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Itoh M, Kitagawa A, Ouchi H, Yamaguchi M, Watanabe R, Sone H, Kamiyama S. Effects of visual and aromatic stimulations on the perception of five fundamental tastes. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem 2022; 86:655-664. [PMID: 35244672 DOI: 10.1093/bbb/zbac029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Taste perception is affected by various environmental factors. In the present study, we investigated the effects of visual and aromatic stimulations on stress responses and taste perception. Fourteen young healthy participants were assessed for stress levels and taste intensities under 5 different conditions: normal (no stimuli), watching an action scene, watching a forest scene, sniffing a rosemary aroma, and sniffing a lavender aroma. Compared to participants under the action scene condition, participants under the forest scene or under the rosemary aroma condition showed significantly lower stress levels. Furthermore, the forest scene condition significantly increased the saltiness intensity, whereas the rosemary aroma condition significantly increased the bitterness intensity. A positive or negative correlation was observed between the stress level and taste intensity of sourness and saltiness, respectively. These findings indicate that visual image and aroma have the potential to change taste perception as well as modulate stress conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mayu Itoh
- Department of Health and Nutrition, Faculty of Human Life Studies, University of Niigata Prefecture, Higashi-ku, Niigata, Japan
| | - Aya Kitagawa
- Department of Health and Nutrition, Faculty of Human Life Studies, University of Niigata Prefecture, Higashi-ku, Niigata, Japan
| | - Harumi Ouchi
- Department of Health and Nutrition, Faculty of Human Life Studies, University of Niigata Prefecture, Higashi-ku, Niigata, Japan
| | - Mana Yamaguchi
- Department of Health and Nutrition, Faculty of Human Life Studies, University of Niigata Prefecture, Higashi-ku, Niigata, Japan
| | - Ran Watanabe
- Department of Health and Nutrition, Faculty of Human Life Studies, University of Niigata Prefecture, Higashi-ku, Niigata, Japan
| | - Hideyuki Sone
- Department of Health and Nutrition, Faculty of Human Life Studies, University of Niigata Prefecture, Higashi-ku, Niigata, Japan
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Becoming nature: effects of embodying a tree in immersive virtual reality on nature relatedness. Sci Rep 2022; 12:1311. [PMID: 35079051 PMCID: PMC8789841 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-05184-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2021] [Accepted: 01/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
The potential of using immersive virtual reality (iVR) technologies to enhance nature relatedness by embodying non-human beings, such as plants or animals, is only sparsely researched. To contribute to this emerging research field we conducted an experimental study (N = 28) that compared the effects of the viewing condition (iVR or desktop) while embodying a tree on nature relatedness, perspective-taking and, as a control, on perceived immersion. A mixed-method approach employing quantitative and qualitative questions was used. Our results showed that irrespective of condition allocation, the more immersed participants felt in their experience, the greater they reported increased levels of nature relatedness (r = 0.42, p < .05). While our quantitative data did yield a difference in immersion levels between the viewing condition (iVR vs. video, t(26) = 2.05, p = .05, d = .50) that did not translate into a stronger experimental effect of the iVR condition on nature relatedness (FInteraction(1,26) < 1). Regarding perspective taking, no significant differences between both groups emerged in the number of users who self-reported having fully taken on the perspective of the tree, (χ2(1) = 2.33, p = .127). However, only participants from the iVR group described their experience from a first-person perspective, suggesting a higher level of identification with the tree. This matches the observation that only those participants also reported self-reflective processes of their own role as a human being towards nature. Our results support previous research suggesting that experiencing nature via immersive VR in itself does not seem to suffice for creating an effect on nature relatedness. However, we observed that a higher perceived level of immersion for participants experiencing the embodiment of a tree in the iVR condition provoked reflective processes on one's own role towards nature more strongly. We discuss the role of immersion and further factors to explain these differences and suggest steps for future research settings to help understand the beneficial potential of using immersive VR for nature relatedness.
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Knaust T, Felnhofer A, Kothgassner OD, Reinke M, Browning M, Höllmer H, Schulz H. Nature videos for PTSD: protocol for a mixed-methods feasibility study. Eur J Psychotraumatol 2022; 13:2101765. [PMID: 35936870 PMCID: PMC9347465 DOI: 10.1080/20008198.2022.2101765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
UNLABELLED Background: Given the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), particularly among military personnel, new treatment approaches are needed. One may be virtual relaxation interventions, especially 360-degree nature videos, since studies have demonstrated their relaxation effects for healthy participants. If these relaxation effects can be reproduced in patients with PTSD, they may offer a viable tool to reduce distress and hyperarousal. Objective: This research protocol describes a planned study that will examine the relaxation effects of 360-degree nature videos for patients with PTSD. It will also investigate whether these relaxation effects differ depending on the hardware immersion level (head-mounted display [HMD] vs. PC screen) in comparison to a control condition in which patients only listen to natural sounds and do not view a video. Finally, the effect of each intervention's dose duration (five vs. ten minutes) will be explored. Method: A counterbalanced, randomised, controlled, within-subject experiment will be conducted (sample size N = 36). Only soldiers aged 18 years or older with a primary diagnosis of PTSD will be included. Those with psychosis, substance dependence, a change in psychiatric medication within the last month, suicidal intent, and motion sickness will be excluded. All patients will experience the HMD, PC, and control conditions once for five or ten minutes. Self-reported relaxation measures will be collected before and after, and patients' skin conductance level, heart rate, and heart rate variability will be assessed during each condition. Semi-structured interviews will be conducted to examine the patients' experiences in detail. Conclusions: This feasibility study will provide initial evidence of whether viewing 360-degree nature videos via HMD or PC screen is relaxing for patients with PTSD and whether the effects are greater compared with the control condition. The study will also validate the dose duration and thereby informing a subsequent confirmatory interventional trial. Trial registration: DRKS00020277. HIGHLIGHTS This randomised controlled feasibility study will examine whether 360-degree nature videos are a suitable relaxation intervention for military personnel with post-traumatic stress disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thiemo Knaust
- Center for Mental Health, Bundeswehr Hospital Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Anna Felnhofer
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Division of Pediatric Pulmonology, Allergology and Endocrinology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Max Reinke
- Department of Anaesthesiology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Matthew Browning
- Virtual Reality and Nature Lab, Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA
| | - Helge Höllmer
- Center for Mental Health, Bundeswehr Hospital Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Holger Schulz
- Department of Medical Psychology, University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
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The Living Space: Psychological Well-Being and Mental Health in Response to Interiors Presented in Virtual Reality. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph182312510. [PMID: 34886236 PMCID: PMC8656816 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph182312510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2021] [Revised: 11/13/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
There has been a recent interest in how architecture affects mental health and psychological well-being, motivated by the fact that we spend the majority of our waking time inside and interacting with built environments. Some studies have investigated the psychological responses to indoor design parameters; for instance, contours, and proposed that curved interiors, when compared to angular ones, were aesthetically preferred and induced higher positive emotions. The present study aimed to systematically examine this hypothesis and further explore the impact of contrasting contours on affect, behavior, and cognition. We exposed 42 participants to four well-matched indoor living rooms under a free-exploration photorealistic virtual reality paradigm. We included style as an explorative second-level variable. Out of the 33 outcome variables measured, and after correcting for false discoveries, only two eventually confirmed differences in the contours analysis, in favor of angular rooms. Analysis of style primarily validated the contrast of our stimulus set, and showed significance in one other dependent variable. Results of additional analysis using the Bayesian framework were in line with those of the frequentist approach. The present results provide evidence against the hypothesis that curvature is preferred, suggesting that the psychological response to contours in a close-to-reality architectural setting could be more complex. This study, therefore, helps to communicate a more complete scientific view on the experience of interior spaces and proposes directions for necessary future research.
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Li H, Zhang X, Wang H, Yang Z, Liu H, Cao Y, Zhang G. Access to Nature via Virtual Reality: A Mini-Review. Front Psychol 2021; 12:725288. [PMID: 34675840 PMCID: PMC8523668 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.725288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2021] [Accepted: 09/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Nature exposure is known to promote physical and mental health. However, actual nature exposure may be difficult to achieve for the population of people with physical disabilities or chronic conditions. Therefore, many attempts have been made to duplicate nature exposure via media devices, and virtual reality (VR) is deemed as a promising technology due to its advantage in creating a sense of immersion. Generally, current studies suggest that being exposed to virtual nature may contribute to psychological and physiological relaxation. Besides, some pieces of evidence indicate that virtual nature may improve attentional resources, cognitive performance, and pain experience. Although VR is deemed as an advanced media, insufficient evidence was found concerning the advantages of VR over traditional two-dimensional media when it comes to simulated nature exposure. On the other hand, computer-generated (CG) scenarios were found to be more beneficial than 360° videos, and mini-games may be useful in creating an interactive VR format for simulated nature exposure. Further research is needed because of the limited relevant studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hansen Li
- Key Laboratory of Physical Fitness Evaluation and Motor Function Monitoring of General Administration of Sports of China, Institute of Sports Science, College of Physical Education, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xing Zhang
- Department of Basketball and Volleyball, Chengdu Sport University, Chengdu, China
| | - Hongying Wang
- College of Physical Education, JiMei University, Xiamen, China
| | - Zongqian Yang
- Key Laboratory of Physical Fitness Evaluation and Motor Function Monitoring of General Administration of Sports of China, Institute of Sports Science, College of Physical Education, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Haowei Liu
- Key Laboratory of Physical Fitness Evaluation and Motor Function Monitoring of General Administration of Sports of China, Institute of Sports Science, College of Physical Education, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yang Cao
- Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Medical Sciences, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden.,Unit of Integrative Epidemiology, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Guodong Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Physical Fitness Evaluation and Motor Function Monitoring of General Administration of Sports of China, Institute of Sports Science, College of Physical Education, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
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Investigating the mental health implications of urban environments with neuroscientific methods and mobile technologies: A systematic literature review. Health Place 2021; 70:102597. [PMID: 34107446 DOI: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2021.102597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2021] [Revised: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Urbanization is an ongoing global process that is influencing and shaping individual mental health and well-being. This paper aims to provide an overview of the current literature containing state-of-the-art neuroscientific and mobile technologies that have been used to investigate the mental health implications of urban environments. Searches for peer-reviewed primary research articles were conducted in PubMed and SCOPUS, returning 33,443 papers; 90 empirical articles published from 1981 to 2021 were included in the final synthesis. Central findings suggest virtual reality and mobile electroencephalography to be the most commonly used methods, and demanding mood, affect, and health phenomena or states to be the most common concepts of study in both physical built settings and natural urban spaces. Recommendations for both future practice and study noting particular opportunities for future methodological contributions are discussed.
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