A study conducted by three researchers from the Technion reveals that it is not enough to just go out into nature; For happiness you have to get really close to it, touch it and smell it. And the surprising tip: you don't have to turn off the phone
At the first closing, everyone baked Shaor bread. In the second closure, the trend of home gardening developed, and social networks revealed a multitude of high-quality photos of flower pots and close-up shots of colorful succulents. The change in trends can be attributed to the fact that the second closure met the citizens of the country in a poorer mood, such that even carbohydrates will have difficulty improving. The obligation to stay at home has turned even the most well-lit and beautiful houses into producers of a sense of closure that the residents of the house tried to reduce its effect with a little green in their eyes.
The intuitive choice can be backed up by many studies that have dealt with the importance of nature and green spaces for the mental and physical well-being of humans; But a new study makes it clear that "green in the eyes" is only the tip of the iceberg, and to enjoy mental well-being we must get closer and touch the elements of nature. According to the research conducted at the Technion and published in Conservation Biology, interaction is not enough; It is important that the planners design an interaction Positive. The effect of such an interaction occurs in two stages: "approach tasks" such as smelling and touching the elements of nature increase immersion in nature; And this intensifies the pleasure produced by the participants.
The researchers, Prof. Assaf Schwartz and Dr. Agath Kulauni from the Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning and Dr. Liat Lavontin from the Faculty of Industry and Management at Davidson, explain that being close to nature improves mental well-being more than passive exposure or looking at the green landscape. Based on a survey they conducted among 1,023 visitors to the nature park in Ramat Handiv, they found that the closer the interaction with nature was (for example, included touching elements of nature or smelling flowers), the visitors were happier following the visit to the reserve compared to other visitors who experienced nature more from a distance (for example, just take a walk in nature). "Our research showed that people who are emotionally connected to nature are happier in general and benefit more from visiting green spaces or nature reserves," explains Prof. Schwartz.
Following these findings, the researchers conducted an experiment with the participation of 303 students at the Technion. All participants in the experiment walked for about half an hour in the nature surrounding the Technion, and each participant was given one of nine different tasks to perform during the walk - for example smelling flowers, taking pictures of nature, touching elements of nature or closing the cell phone. According to the findings, the participants who were asked to perform tasks that brought them closer to nature (smell flowers, touch elements of nature) did feel closer to nature and felt better after the walk. Contrary to popular belief that it is important to experience nature without interruptions, the participants who were asked to close their mobile phones during the walk reported a feeling of distance from nature, and an increase in their negative feelings and a decrease in their positive feelings after the walk was recorded. According to Dr. Levontin, "it is possible that closing the cell phone actually causes an increase in thoughts about it and FOMO, fear of possible missing out on communication, and does not allow meaningful interaction with nature."
"Today people are more and more disconnected from nature, and this has negative consequences for their health and well-being and the importance they attribute to the natural world," explains Prof. Schwartz. "It is important to plan green spaces that provide meaningful interactions with nature to improve the connection to nature and mental well-being."
"I think we have all felt this during the recent lockdown periods," adds Levontin, "but it is possible that due to the growing disconnection from nature, the planning of natural areas is not enough to produce a meaningful nature experience and contribute to the quality of life. That's why we need to think about how to encourage people to go out into nature and enhance the experience of nature."
"This is exactly where our research comes in," explains Prof. Schwartz. "We showed in the experiment that with the help of small hints, which we called 'cues to experience', it is possible to bring people closer to nature and strengthen the experience of nature among visitors and the positive feelings following the visit. Smartphones can even be used to create meaningful nature experiences for all of us in parks, gardens and nature reserves. However, it is important to be careful to preserve the biological diversity as well and not to encourage interactions that could harm nature, for example picking flowers. Landscape architects and environmental planners need to think of solutions that will encourage the production of interactions with nature whose negative impact on biodiversity is limited and whose positive impact is strong."
To read the full scientific article, click here
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