Exploring the role of nature and movement in attention restoration. Presented in December 2009 at Bates College.

1. Exploring the Role of Movement and Nature in Attention Restoration
Introduction Method
Nature as Restorative Design Procedure
A 2 X 2 between-subjects factorial design evaluated the extent to 1. Attention Pretest: Digit Span Backward
Research suggests that exposure to nature is restorative to
which different environmental stimuli restored attentional fatigue. Participants listened to sequences of digits and were
attention. Attention Restoration Theory (Kaplan & Kaplan
1989) provided a set of criteria to characterize restorative instructed to repeat the sequences out loud in backward
Nature (High/ Low)
environments. Berman et al. (2008) found that particpants Independent Variables order.
Movement (High/ Low)
were more restored after going on a walk in nature rather than 2. Mental Fatigue: Numeral Cancellation Task
a walk in a built environment. Dependent Variable Restoration
Participants were given a sheet of paper covered in text and
were instructed to cross off the letter [ e ] as many times as
Movement as Restorative Participants possible within 2 minutes.
Research suggests that physical activity is related to Undergraduate students at Bates College (N = 61). 3. Participants were randomly assigned to one break experience
enhanced cognitive functioning. Weuve et al. (2004) found
between testing sessions.
that individuals who reported higher levels of physical Junior 1.6% Senior
11.5 %
activity scored better on tests of cognitive functioning. Male 16.0%
Walking Experience Video Experience
Sophomore
Lake Trail • •
Current Study 19.7%
First-Year
67.2% Female 84.0%
Building Interior • •
Actual and virtual experiences of the same environmental Class Year Gender
stimuli were used to examine the restorative role of nature and 4. Attention Posttest: Digit Span Backward
movement in attention restoration. Participants completed
mental tasks to induce attentional fatigue such that changes
in attention could be measured.
Results Discussion
Hypothesis
Nature and walking conditions will be more restorative than There was no support for the hypothesis. The mean restoration Nature and walking conditions did not prove to be the most
inside and video conditions. score for each condition was positive, indicating that all of the restorative environmental stimuli. Participants were most
environmental stimuli were restorative. restored after the video experience of the building interior.
Low Nature High Nature Limitations
References Low Movement M = 0.87 M = 0.27 Operationalizing Nature
Did not take into account time for
particpants to get outside.
High Movement M = 0.38 M = 0.47
Berman, M., Jonides, J., & Kaplan, S. (2008). The cognitive benefits of interacting with DSB scores did not take into account
nature. Psychological Science, 19(12), 1207-1212. Measuring Restoration
Doi: 10.1111/j.1467-9280.2008.02225.x number of incorrect responses.
Kaplan, R., & Kaplan, S. (1989). The experience of nature: A psychological perspective. New
Main effects and the interaction effect were not significant. Effects may require repeated
Between-Subjects Design
York: Cambridge University Press. measures
Photo Credit: http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1233883. Accessed November 30, 2009.
Main effect of nature F(1, 57) = .54, p = 0.47
Weuve, J., Kang, J., Manson, J., Breteler, M., Ware, J., & Grodstein, F. (2004). Physical activity, Main effect of movement F(1, 57) = .18, p = 0.68 Future Research
including walking, and cognitive function in older women. Journal of the American
Medical Association, 292(12), p. 1454-1461. Doi: 10.1001/jama.292.12.1454 Interaction (nature x movement) F(1, 57) = 1.00, p = 0.32 The puzzling findings in the current study suggest that future
research should explore young adults’ conceptions of the
Acknowledgments
natural and built environments.
Georgia Nigro, Will Ash, Gene Clough, Joanne Cole, Kristen Carey, Emily Chin
Interdisciplinary Empirical Research Thesis • Kate Doria ‘10 • Bates College