Several scientific studies show that people living near green spaces would be happier, healthier, and live longer than others. The research team at the Department of Psychology at the University of British Columbia Okanagan, Canada, is continuing its research in this direction. Their latest study reports, more broadly, that looking at and paying attention to the nature around us can increase happiness. Their results were published in the Journal of Positive Psychology.
Nature, essential to our well-being
The researchers worked with 395 volunteers, randomly assigned to 3 different groups. For 2 weeks, the people of the first group were responsible for taking pictures of the nature they encountered in their daily routine and writing in a few words what they felt. It wasn’t about spending hours outdoors, but more about seeing the sun through a window, the birds, the plant in your apartment or a tree next to a bus stop. The 2nd group had to do the same thing, but on man-made objects and the 3rd was the control group which did neither of these two experiments. More than 2,500 photos and descriptions of emotions were collected.
Empathy, the general feeling of belonging (to others or to nature), awareness of what is happening around you and aid actswithout expecting a counterpart were significantly higher in the first group. This research supports the theory which explains that nature is, in psychology, an effective positive intervention. The authors believe that if people simply took the time to notice the nature around them, it could increase their happiness and personal well-being.
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