Walking in nature may improve affect but not cognition
Beneficial effects of natural environments on affect have been consistently reported, but effects on cognition have been less consistent. We examined affect and cognitive performance in the domains of attention, working memory, executive function, and recall and recognition memory in a sample of 188...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2024-01-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1258378/full |
| _version_ | 1797365481356656640 |
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| author | Janet P. Trammell Jennifer A. Harriger Elizabeth J. Krumrei-Mancuso |
| author_facet | Janet P. Trammell Jennifer A. Harriger Elizabeth J. Krumrei-Mancuso |
| author_sort | Janet P. Trammell |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Beneficial effects of natural environments on affect have been consistently reported, but effects on cognition have been less consistent. We examined affect and cognitive performance in the domains of attention, working memory, executive function, and recall and recognition memory in a sample of 188 undergraduate participants who completed a walk in one of three environments: an outdoor nature environment, an outdoor urban environment, or an indoor (treadmill) environment. Supporting the hypotheses, the outdoor nature environment resulted in the greatest increase in positive affect and decrease in negative affect from pre-to post-walk. However, there were no effects of location on any cognitive measure. These results suggest that cognitive effects do not always occur in tandem with affective benefits. Possible explanations, including prior frequent exposure to nature in our participants and extremity of the natural environment, are discussed. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T16:49:36Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f2a8266fd14f48699561daced41f926b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T16:49:36Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-f2a8266fd14f48699561daced41f926b2024-01-05T05:19:17ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782024-01-011410.3389/fpsyg.2023.12583781258378Walking in nature may improve affect but not cognitionJanet P. TrammellJennifer A. HarrigerElizabeth J. Krumrei-MancusoBeneficial effects of natural environments on affect have been consistently reported, but effects on cognition have been less consistent. We examined affect and cognitive performance in the domains of attention, working memory, executive function, and recall and recognition memory in a sample of 188 undergraduate participants who completed a walk in one of three environments: an outdoor nature environment, an outdoor urban environment, or an indoor (treadmill) environment. Supporting the hypotheses, the outdoor nature environment resulted in the greatest increase in positive affect and decrease in negative affect from pre-to post-walk. However, there were no effects of location on any cognitive measure. These results suggest that cognitive effects do not always occur in tandem with affective benefits. Possible explanations, including prior frequent exposure to nature in our participants and extremity of the natural environment, are discussed.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1258378/fullnatureenvironmentaffectattentioncognitionmemory |
| spellingShingle | Janet P. Trammell Jennifer A. Harriger Elizabeth J. Krumrei-Mancuso Walking in nature may improve affect but not cognition Frontiers in Psychology nature environment affect attention cognition memory |
| title | Walking in nature may improve affect but not cognition |
| title_full | Walking in nature may improve affect but not cognition |
| title_fullStr | Walking in nature may improve affect but not cognition |
| title_full_unstemmed | Walking in nature may improve affect but not cognition |
| title_short | Walking in nature may improve affect but not cognition |
| title_sort | walking in nature may improve affect but not cognition |
| topic | nature environment affect attention cognition memory |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1258378/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT janetptrammell walkinginnaturemayimproveaffectbutnotcognition AT jenniferaharriger walkinginnaturemayimproveaffectbutnotcognition AT elizabethjkrumreimancuso walkinginnaturemayimproveaffectbutnotcognition |