Focusing on greenery during city walks has mental health benefits

In a new study published in the journal People and Nature, researchers from Bangor University and Technion – Israel Institute of Technology have demonstrated that simply observing natural elements during urban walks can significantly benefit mental health. The research shows that city dwellers who pay visual attention to greenery rather than human-made structures tend to experience reduced anxiety and enhanced feelings of restoration.

Urbanization has brought about numerous advantages, such as economic growth and innovation. However, city living is often associated with chronic stress and mental fatigue, leading to conditions like depression and anxiety. Previous research has consistently highlighted the positive effects of interacting with nature, including improved mood, stress reduction, and cognitive benefits.

Despite these findings, the specific aspects of nature that contribute to these mental health benefits remained unclear. The new study aimed to fill that gap by investigating how visual attention to green elements during urban walks influences psychological well-being.

Over nine months, the researchers recruited 117 adult participants without neurological or psychiatric disorders. The participants were divided into three groups: the green group, the grey group, and the mixed group. Each group was assigned a specific focus during a 45-minute walk around the Technion campus in Haifa, Israel.

Each group followed the same route but made stops at different points, depending on their assigned focus. The green group stopped at locations with natural elements like trees and grass, the grey group stopped at spots dominated by human-made structures like buildings and roads, and the mixed group stopped at points with both natural and human-made elements. At each stopping point, participants were instructed to focus their gaze on the specified elements.

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To monitor the participants’ visual attention, they were equipped with Tobii Pro 2 eye-tracking glasses. These glasses used infrared cameras to track eye movements, allowing the researchers to see exactly what the participants were looking at during their walk. Before starting the walk, participants completed surveys to assess their levels of anxiety, positive and negative emotions, and cognitive function. The researchers also measured the perceived restorativeness of the walk afterward.

Participants in the green group, who focused on greenery, experienced a significant reduction in anxiety levels after the walk. This group also reported higher levels of perceived restorativeness compared to the grey group, who focused on human-made structures. Interestingly, the mixed group also showed increased perceived restorativeness, although to a lesser extent than the green group.

In terms of emotional impact, both the green and mixed groups reported a decrease in negative affect, which includes feelings of distress and irritation, after the walk. Additionally, the green group showed a marginal increase in positive affect, indicating feelings of enthusiasm and alertness. However, there were no significant changes in cognitive performance across the groups, suggesting that the visual focus on natural elements did not influence cognitive recovery in the context of this study.

The eye-tracking data provided further insights. Participants who spent more time looking at green elements like trees, bushes, and lawns showed a greater reduction in anxiety and higher perceived restorativeness. This suggests that specific natural elements may offer more mental health benefits than others. The study also highlighted the importance of visual engagement with nature, as simply being in a natural environment was not enough; actively focusing on green elements was key to experiencing the benefits.

“This finding implies that a subtle shift in attention towards nature can substantially improve daily well-being in urban areas. Such insights are vital for urban planning, suggesting the creation of spaces that offer not just access to natural elements, but also promote engagement with nature, potentially influencing well-being and pro-conservation behaviours,” the researchers concluded.

“Understanding which natural elements confer these benefits is key to transforming cities into healthier habitats for humans and wildlife alike. Our research highlights the importance of further exploring both visual and other sensory interactions with nature in urban contexts, underscoring their significance in enhancing mental health and well-being. We also demonstrate for the first time the potential benefits of using mobile eye-tracking technology in outdoor urban environments to explore how visual intake of nature elements influences well-being, though challenges persist to effectively utilize this technology outdoors.”

The study, “The nature gaze: Eye-tracking experiment reveals well-being benefits derived from directing visual attention towards elements of nature,” was authored by Whitney Fleming, Brian Rizowy, and Assaf Shwartz.