SOME PSYCHOLOGICAL BENEFITS OF WALKING IN NATURAL …

WALKING FOR MENTAL VITALITYSOME PSYCHOLOGICAL BENEFITS OF

WALKING IN NATURAL SETTINGS

Raymond De YoungUniversity of Michigan

1. Nature as medicine

2. Attention Restoration Theory and properties of restorative experiences

3. A prescription for mental vitality

PRESENTATION WILL COVER

PRESCRIPTION

ATTENTION

NATURE

RESTORATION

1. Nature as medicine

2. Attention Restoration Theory and properties of restorative experiences

3. A prescription for mental vitalityis simply to walk, regularly, surrounded by nearby nature

ONE MAIN POINT

PRESCRIPTION

ATTENTION

NATURE

RESTORATION

1. Nature as medicine

Walking is man's best medicine– Hippocrates

Greek physician (460 - 377 BCE)

PRESCRIPTION

ATTENTION

NATURE

RESTORATION

Kawase Hasui (1941) Tamiya Village, Saitamawww.hanga.com/viewimage.cfm?ID=1439

RESTORATION

1. Nature as medicine

2. Attention Restoration Theory

PRESCRIPTION

ATTENTION

NATURE

Two forms of attention

• Involuntary fascination

• Directed attention

RESTORATION

PRESCRIPTION

ATTENTION

NATURE

• Two forms of attention

• Involuntary fascination• Effortless and spontaneous • Sources include:

• nature • survival-related phenomena • processes such as making predictions

• Directed attention PRESCRIPTION

ATTENTION

NATURE

• Two forms of attention

• Involuntary fascination• Effortless and spontaneous • Sources include:

• nature • survival-related phenomena • processes such as making predictions

• Directed attention• Effortful• Capacity to actively inhibit distractions• Supports focusing on the non-fascinating

PRESCRIPTION

ATTENTION

NATURE

• Two forms of attention

• Involuntary fascination• Effortless and spontaneous • Sources include:

• nature • survival-related phenomena • processes such as making predictions

• Directed attention• Effortful and fatigues• Capacity to actively inhibit distractions• Supports focusing on the non-fascinating

PRESCRIPTION

ATTENTION

NATURE

Directed attention is essential for

• Basic mental activity• problem solving• maintaining train of thought

• Higher functions• maintaining purpose• planning goals, initiating tasks• self-monitoring and self-regulating• behavioral restraint

• Social behavior• listening, not interrupting • caring about and helping others

RESTORATION

PRESCRIPTION

ATTENTION

NATURE

Some daily demands on directed attention

• Informational• distractions, interruptions, noise• meetings and conferences

• Affective• worries• loss and grief

• Behavioral• constraints• unreasonable expectations

• Physical• bad weather• poor vision/hearing

RESTORATION

PRESCRIPTION

ATTENTION

NATURE

NATURE

Some symptoms of directed attention fatigue

• Irritability• Impulsivity• Impatience

• Cumulative loss of effectivenessProblems with:

• thinking• planning• deciding• monitoring• restraining• starting and finishing tasks

RESTORATION

PRESCRIPTION

ATTENTION

1. Nature as medicine

2. Attention Restoration Theory and Properties of restorative experiences

3. Prescription for mental vitalityPRESCRIPTION

ATTENTION

NATURE

RESTORATION

ATTENTION

Some properties of attention-restoring experiences

• Being away• stop using tired brain structures • put aside recent work

• Fascination• be surrounded by involuntarily

fascinating yet non-boisterous nature• Extent

• setting has scope enough to sustain interaction for some time without boredom

• feeling of being in another world• Compatibility

• fit between intentions and affordances• can function without major mental effort

RESTORATION

NATURE

ATTENTION

Dosage needed for recovery depends on

• Kind and quality of environment• Intentional engagement with environment• Frequency and duration

RESTORATION

PRESCRIPTION

NATURE

1. Nature as medicine

2. Attention Restoration Theory and properties of restorative experiences

3. A prescription for mental vitality PRESCRIPTION

ATTENTION

NATURE

RESTORATION

PRESCRIPTION

ATTENTION

NATURE

RESTORATION

• Where

• When

• How

• What to do with the mind

PRESCRIPTION

ATTENTION

NATURE

RESTORATION

• Where to walk• non-spectacular nature will suffice• tree-lined street, park, open space• soft fascination helps reflection

• When

• How

• What to do with the mind

PRESCRIPTION

ATTENTION

NATURE

RESTORATION

• Where

• When to walk• poor judge of our state of mental fatigue• our belief we don’t need a break is erroneous• must make, and stick to, a schedule

• How

• What to do with the mind

PRESCRIPTION

ATTENTION

NATURE

RESTORATION

• Where

• When

• How to walk• socializing depletes directed attention • increase solo walking, although

• conversation might aid reflection• partner might help engagement with setting

• What to do with the mind

PRESCRIPTION

ATTENTION

NATURE

RESTORATION

• Where

• When

• How

• What to do with the mind• plan ahead, create an awareness plan• enhance mind-environment interactions• build on fascination we have with prediction, etc.

A PRESCRIPTION FOR MENTAL VITALITY

• Walk in softly fascinating natural settings

• Repeat on a schedule

• Often go alone

• If walk with another, then be tranquil and focus your conversation on the setting

• Be playful with the environment

Raymond De YoungAssociate Professor of Environmental Psychology and Planning

School of Natural Resources and EnvironmentUniversity of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

rdeyoung@umich.eduwww-personal.umich.edu/~rdeyoung

If you value mental effectiveness then attention restoration is not optional

Shiro Kasamatsu (1919) Cirrocumuli (Mackerel Sky)www.hanga.com/viewimage.cfm?ID=2576