TY - JOUR
T1 - Natural resistance : exposure to nature and self-regulation, mood, and physiology after ego-depletion
AU - Beute, F.
AU - Kort, de, Y.A.W.
PY - 2014
Y1 - 2014
N2 - Positive effects of exposure to nature have been reported for stress, mood, and executive functioning. In the present research we investigated whether viewing natural scenes can also improve self-regulation. In line with recent theoretical propositions these replenishing effects were investigated in a typical ego- depletion paradigm. In two studies we found indications for beneficial effects of a short exposure to nature on lower order self-regulation (e.g., controlling impulses), but not on a higher-order executive functioning task. Furthermore, we found beneficial effects on mood and heart rate variability, a physi- ological measure related to exertion of self-control and stress. Importantly, beneficial effects of nature emerged even when participants had not been previously depleted, which challenges the current postulation that nature mostly has restorative benefits. We propose that nature might also have buffering or ‘instorative’ effects.
AB - Positive effects of exposure to nature have been reported for stress, mood, and executive functioning. In the present research we investigated whether viewing natural scenes can also improve self-regulation. In line with recent theoretical propositions these replenishing effects were investigated in a typical ego- depletion paradigm. In two studies we found indications for beneficial effects of a short exposure to nature on lower order self-regulation (e.g., controlling impulses), but not on a higher-order executive functioning task. Furthermore, we found beneficial effects on mood and heart rate variability, a physi- ological measure related to exertion of self-control and stress. Importantly, beneficial effects of nature emerged even when participants had not been previously depleted, which challenges the current postulation that nature mostly has restorative benefits. We propose that nature might also have buffering or ‘instorative’ effects.
U2 - 10.1016/j.jenvp.2014.06.004
DO - 10.1016/j.jenvp.2014.06.004
M3 - Article
VL - 40
SP - 167
EP - 178
JO - Journal of Environmental Psychology
JF - Journal of Environmental Psychology
SN - 0272-4944
ER -