Human experiences in dense and open woodland; the role of different danger threats
Exposure to non-threatening natural environments promotes human wellbeing by supporting restoration of negative mood and mental fatigue. But many natural environments will harbour a threat at some point in time. Understanding if and how these threats affect human experiences in natural environments...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2023-12-01
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| Series: | Trees, Forests and People |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666719323000602 |
| _version_ | 1797448025523617792 |
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| author | Birgitta Gatersleben Matthew Andrews |
| author_facet | Birgitta Gatersleben Matthew Andrews |
| author_sort | Birgitta Gatersleben |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Exposure to non-threatening natural environments promotes human wellbeing by supporting restoration of negative mood and mental fatigue. But many natural environments will harbour a threat at some point in time. Understanding if and how these threats affect human experiences in natural environments is important for land management and human wellbeing. In an on-line experiment participants (n = 300) rated how they would feel in two different types of woodland environments (dense and open) under 5 different conditions (control, an animal threat, a social threat, danger of tripping and falling and of getting lost). All dangers undermined positive experiences in the environment, in particular social dangers. The negative impact of an animal danger or the danger of tripping and falling on reported experiences was greater in dense woodlands. However, participants reported feeling more in control over a social danger in a dense woodland. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T14:04:26Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-fe3472bd36bc4b6197738b519cc0a081 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2666-7193 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T14:04:26Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Trees, Forests and People |
| spelling | doaj.art-fe3472bd36bc4b6197738b519cc0a0812023-11-30T05:11:32ZengElsevierTrees, Forests and People2666-71932023-12-0114100428Human experiences in dense and open woodland; the role of different danger threatsBirgitta Gatersleben0Matthew Andrews1Corresponding author.; School of Psychology, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey, GU2 7XH, UKSchool of Psychology, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey, GU2 7XH, UKExposure to non-threatening natural environments promotes human wellbeing by supporting restoration of negative mood and mental fatigue. But many natural environments will harbour a threat at some point in time. Understanding if and how these threats affect human experiences in natural environments is important for land management and human wellbeing. In an on-line experiment participants (n = 300) rated how they would feel in two different types of woodland environments (dense and open) under 5 different conditions (control, an animal threat, a social threat, danger of tripping and falling and of getting lost). All dangers undermined positive experiences in the environment, in particular social dangers. The negative impact of an animal danger or the danger of tripping and falling on reported experiences was greater in dense woodlands. However, participants reported feeling more in control over a social danger in a dense woodland.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666719323000602Environmental restorationDangerRiskNature |
| spellingShingle | Birgitta Gatersleben Matthew Andrews Human experiences in dense and open woodland; the role of different danger threats Trees, Forests and People Environmental restoration Danger Risk Nature |
| title | Human experiences in dense and open woodland; the role of different danger threats |
| title_full | Human experiences in dense and open woodland; the role of different danger threats |
| title_fullStr | Human experiences in dense and open woodland; the role of different danger threats |
| title_full_unstemmed | Human experiences in dense and open woodland; the role of different danger threats |
| title_short | Human experiences in dense and open woodland; the role of different danger threats |
| title_sort | human experiences in dense and open woodland the role of different danger threats |
| topic | Environmental restoration Danger Risk Nature |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666719323000602 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT birgittagatersleben humanexperiencesindenseandopenwoodlandtheroleofdifferentdangerthreats AT matthewandrews humanexperiencesindenseandopenwoodlandtheroleofdifferentdangerthreats |