Nature Versus Stress

Jane sits in her cubicle all day at work. Ringing phones and the muttering of several conversations fill her ears. The only things decorating her desk are stacks of files and papers. Hour after hour she stares at her computer screen becoming more and more frustrated. This morning the boss pulled her aside. Her productivity was waning. If her quality of work did not improve within the week he was going to have to put her on report.

Sharon works in the cubicle next to Jane. She hears the same phones and the same drone of office chatter. She has the same amount of files and documents. She, too, has to work endlessly in front of her computer. However, Sharon has an enlarged photograph of the Grand Canyon from her vacation last year taped to the wall behind and to the right of her monitor. After speaking with Jane, the boss goes over to Sharon and expresses how well he feels she is performing.

Can a photograph really make that much of a difference? Many psychologists believe it can. Edward O. Wilson coined the word biophilia in 1984 to describe man's need for contact with nature. He also stated that this was a recent development in human behavior. As a species, humans have spent the majority of their evolution physically and mentally attempting to survive in nature. One could even go so far as to say that natural environments are essential for our survival.

Many studies have been conducted regarding the effects of nature on the human psyche. Steven and Rachel Kaplan's research are possibly the most renown. In 1995 S. Kaplan outlined the Attention Restoration Theory (ART). This theory proposes that the overuse of cerebral functions can cause attention deficit and that activities such as a stroll in a park can help improve cognitive abilities.

Their studies have provided material for several books including "With People in Mind: Design and Management for Everyday Nature". In this book they refer to two different types of attention. These are directed attention and fascination. Too much directed attention can cause what they refer to as "directed attention fatigue". This can cause one to be easily irritated and distracted. The natural attraction of nature can help one recuperate from this condition.

"Directed attention fatigues people through overuse," Steven Kaplan says. "If you can find an environment where the attention is automatic, you allow directed attention to rest. And that means an environment that's strong on fascination."

Terry A. Hartig, PhD, MPH refers to this condition as "normal psychological wear and tear." In a field study conducted by Hartig volunteers were asked to engage in forty minutes of tasks designed to wear out their directed attention. After the forty-minute time limit they were asked to spend another forty minutes in various activities. Some went for a nature walk, others were asked to walk in busy urban areas, and the last were asked to sit and read magazines while listening to music. Following the second forty minutes they were asked to do some standard proofreading. Those who went for a nature walk performed better on the proofread test and they also reported feeling more positive and relaxed.

This is not only beneficial in the work place. Jack Nasar, a professor at Ohio State University, and Jean Marie Cackowski, a former student at Ohio State, conducted a study on the effect of nature scenes on drivers.

"Researchers have long found that nature can be an antidote to stress," Nasar said. "We found that roadways with views of vegetation and trees rather than more urban scenes can make drivers feel a little less frustrated."

The study was conducted with 106 subjects. They were given stress-inducing activities for ten minutes. Then they were asked to take an anger test. Afterwards they watched one of three videos filmed through the front windshield of a car. The first was a four-lane parkway through a wooded area that lacked man-made structures. The second was of a six-lane, controlled access highway, which was not as wooded as the first video and a few structures were present. The final video was of a six-lane highway complete with shopping malls, commercial signs and very little vegetation. They were given an accelerator pedal and asked to pretend they were actually driving.

Following the videos they were asked to retake the anger tests and take a test to measure the acceptance for frustration. Those who watch the scenic video showed a higher tolerance for irritation. They spent an average of a minute and a half on an impossible anagram than did the others.

"It is clear from the study that our natural environment has a psychological affect on us, even when we're doing something mundane as driving a car," Cackowski said.

Nature does not only affect us mentally, but it can have a positive physical effect as well. Roger S. Ulrich, PhD, has discovered that it can help the body as well as the mind.

Ulrich did several studies involving patients recovering from surgery. He found that patients in rooms with a views of nature, trees and such, recovered more quickly, has less problems, and required less pain medication than those patients that stayed in a room that over looked brick walls.

He did a similar study involving intensive care patients. He found that by simply putting pictures of trees or other images of nature sped up recovery and could even reduce their anxiety. The lessening of anxiety can be a key element in recovering from heart surgery.

Examples of nature being a restorative are not only discussed in psychological studies. Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein" has many examples of the restoration abilities of nature. Bill Ames wrote a paper on Shelly's classic monster tale. Ames writes, "While he seems to be overcome with grief by the murders of his friends and family, he repeatedly shuns humanity and seeks nature foe health, relaxation and to strengthen his spirits."

In chapter five of Shelley's book she makes a firm connection between the main character, Victor Frankenstein, and nature. "...my health and spirits had long been restored, and they gained additional strength from the salubrious air I breathed, the natural incidents of our progress..."

Ames goes on to say that the best examples of Shelley's use of nature are after the deaths of his brother Justine and his son William. Victor is inconsolable since these two who were do precious to him were killed by his own creation. However, on his journey to his family in Geneva he finds that nature helps him maintain his sanity. "By degrees the calm and heavenly scene restored me, and I continued my journey towards Geneva."

By the end of the book the monster had murdered his new bride. Victor is still drawn to nature even as he sinks into insanity. "What had become of me? I know not; I lost sensation, and chains and darkness were the only objects that pressed upon me. Sometimes, indeed, I dreamt that I wandered on flowery meadows and pleasant vales with the friends of my youth..."

I, myself, use nature to recover some semblance of sanity. During my lunch breaks at work I insist on actually leaving the office. Sometimes I drive to the nearby botanical gardens or I simply stop in the parking deck of the local shopping mall under a group of trees. By the time I get back to work I am ready to give it my all.

So, if you are feeling stressed out at work or even at home, take a walk, browse through pictures of beaches or mountains. If nothing else, just step outside and take a deep breath. You will be amazed at how much better you will feel and how much more productive you can become if you just learn to keep in touch with nature.