Natural Versus Urban Scenes

TLDR

The study’s findings have implications for theory development in environmental aesthetics. Participants viewed sixty color slides of natural (water or vegetation) and urban scenes while researchers measured alpha amplitude, heart rate, and emotional states, with information rates equal across slide types. Natural scenes, particularly those with water, produced higher alpha activity, better emotional states, and greater attention and interest than urban scenes.

Abstract

Subjects viewed sixty color slides of either (1) nature with water, (2) nature dominated by vegetation, or (3) urban environments without water or vegetation. The information rates of the three slide samples were equivalent. Measurements were taken of the effects of the slide presentations on alpha amplitude, heart rate, and emotional states. Results revealed several significant differences as a function of environment, which together indicate that the two categories of nature views had more positive influences on psychophysiological states than the urban scenes. Alpha was significantly higher during the vegetation as opposed to urban slides; similarly, alpha was higher on the average when subjects viewed water rather than urban content. There was also a consistent pattern for nature, especially water, to have more positive influences on emotional states. A salient finding was that water, and to a lesser extent vegetation views, held attention and interest more effectively than the urban scenes. Implications of the findings for theory development in environmental aesthetics are discussed.