Master Thesis

Exploration of feelings that nature evokes in people: Comparison between

males and females: Case study in Armenia Lilit Mkrtchyan

Plants and natural landscapes may enhance human well-being by causing positive

physiological and psychological responses, by affecting human behaviour

The present research has an objective to determine the feelings

that nature evokes in people

The study is focusing on 3 types of landscapes:

mountains, parks,residential areas

Mountains

As the highest and most dramatic features of the natural landscape, mountains have an extraordinary power

to evoke the sacred.Feelings such as fear and unsafety are very common when

being close to mountains.However, the survey conducted in Armenia shows the following emotions being common both among

males and females: patriotism, pride, freedom

Parks

Parks are seen as the most positive and relaxing type of landscape.

calmness, purity, nostalgia … These are the feelings that the majority of

respondentsmentioned in Armenia.

Residential areas

Residential areas are the most negative type of landscape.

Both males and females mention the feelings of coolness, impureness,

tension and the sense of ordinariness.The outcomes of the survey highlight the importance

ofgreen spaces in residential areas.

RESEARCH

Where Who When

Location Respondents Time

Yerevan, Armenia 10 males, 10 females November-December, 2010

Gender differences

Overall, the mountains evoked more positive feelings in males than in females.

There were no differences between males and females in positive mood for parks and residential areas.

Looking at the single mood items, we can see that females felt somewhat more scared about the mountains and the mountains made

females feel somewhat more depressed and less energetic. However, these gender differences were only significant for feeling energetic,

F (1, 18) = 17.0, p = .001.Females generally perceived the natural landscape types as more restorative

than males, while they perceived residential areas as somewhat less restorative

than males.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8389b_hd-time-lapse-footage-timelapse-lan_travel

Dailymotion

- Nature's Soliloquies - a Arts video