Browsing by Subject "psykofysiologinen elpymisteoria"

The aim of this study is to find out, based on literature, in which way nature restores, i.e. what kind of physiological and psychological effects nature has and what are the underlying mechanisms given in environmental psychology. In addition, the aim is to find out how re-storative natural environment is defined in literature. Many people live in an environment which is full of stimuli and often perceived as stressful, and where one’s physiological, psy-chological and social resources become exhausted. In previous research, nature’s effects on well-being are expressly connected to recovery from stress and restoration of attention. This research was conducted as a literature review and the material used were scientific ar-ticles, research reports and other science-based publications. There are plenty of interna-tional publications on this topic but in Finland nature’s positive effects has been studied main-ly in Finnish Forest Research Institute (present Natural Resources Institute Finland). According to this literature review it can be stated that the physiological effects of nature were shown as reduced stress symptoms, such as lower levels of blood pressure, heart rate and/or stress hormones, as well as lesser feelings of pain. Previous studies showed that na-ture strengthened people’s psychological well-being by increasing positive and decreasing negative emotions. In addition, feelings of refreshment, creativity and vitality were increased, and attention as well as ability to focus were restored. The effects on well-being, nature’s re-storative effects, were explained with two theories, namely the psychophysiological restora-tion theory and the attention restoration theory. The research results on those nature’s qualities that promote well-being were contradicting, however. According to the previous studies, it is somewhat culture-bound what kind of envi-ronment (nature) is perceived as the most attractive. To Finnish people forest seems to be the most pleasant place for refreshment.