Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The Natural-Built Distinction in Environmental Preference and Restoration: Bottom-Up and Top-Down Explanations

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Nature and Psychology

Part of the book series: Nebraska Symposium on Motivation ((NSM,volume 67))

Abstract

People tend to find natural environments more aesthetically appealing and restorative than human-made or built environments. It is widely assumed that this natural-built distinction in environmental preference and restoration stems to a large extent from bottom-up sensory processing of intrinsic characteristics of nature that may have signaled adaptive values during human evolution. This view of nature as a unique, irreplaceable source of health and well-being has motivated the greening of cities and other initiatives to reconnect people with nature. But how strong is the empirical support for a bottom-up account of positive responses to nature? This chapter critically reviews the empirical evidence in view of alternative explanations in terms of top-down influences of culturally transmitted views and personally learned positive experiences with nature. It is tentatively concluded that the available empirical evidence appears to be in favor of top-down, rather than bottom-up, accounts of the natural-built distinction in both environmental preferences and restorative effects. In accordance with recent insights relating to the immune system regulating functions of direct physical contact with nature, the chapter concludes with suggestions for future research focusing on top-down, resilience-building experiences with nature.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
eBook
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 129.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 129.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Aerts, R., Honnay, O., & Van Nieuwenhuyse, A. (2018). Biodiversity and human health: Mechanisms and evidence of the positive health effects of diversity in nature and green spaces. British Medical Bulletin, 127(1), 5–22. https://doi.org/10.1093/bmb/ldy021

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Aks, D. J., & Sprott, J. C. (1996). Quantifying aesthetic preference for chaotic patterns. Empirical Studies of the Arts, 14(1), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.2190/6V31-7M9R-T9L5-CDG9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Alvarsson, J. J., Wiens, S., & Nilsson, M. E. (2010). Stress recovery during exposure to nature sound and environmental noise. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 7(3), 1036–1046. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph7031036

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Anderson, L. (2018). Planning the built environment. New York: Routledge.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Beatley, T. (2012). Green urbanism: Learning from European cities. Washington, DC: Island Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Bettmann, J. E., Gillis, H., Speelman, E. A., Parry, K. J., & Case, J. M. (2016). A meta-analysis of wilderness therapy outcomes for private pay clients. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 25(9), 2659–2673. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-016-0439-0

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bernaldez, F. G., & Parra, F. (1979). Dimensions of landscape preferences from pairwise comparisons. In: Elsner, Gary H., and Richard C. Smardon, technical coordinators. 1979. Proceedings of our national landscape: a conference on applied techniques for analysis and management of the visual resource. [Incline Village, Nev., April 23-25, 1979]. Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-35. Berkeley, CA. Pacific Southwest Forest and Range Exp. Stn., Forest Service, US Department of Agriculture: p. 256–262

    Google Scholar 

  • Beute, F., & de Kort, Y. A. (2018). The natural context of wellbeing: Ecological momentary assessment of the influence of nature and daylight on affect and stress for individuals with depression levels varying from none to clinical. Health & Place, 49, 7–18. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2017.11.005

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bowler, D., Buyung-Ali, L., Knight, T., & Pullin, A. (2010). A systematic review of evidence for the added benefits to health of exposure to natural environments. BMC Public Health, 10(1), 456. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-10-456

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Browning, M., & Lee, K. (2017). Within what distance does “greenness” best predict physical health? A systematic review of articles with GIS buffer analyses across the lifespan. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 14(7), 675. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph14070675

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Buck, D. (2016). Gardens and health implications for policy and practice. London: The King’s Fund.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chawla, L. (2002). Spots of time: Manifold ways of being in nature in childhood. In I. Kahn Jr. & P. H. Kellert (Eds.), Children and nature: Psychological, sociocultural, and evolutionary investigations (pp. 199–225). Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Collado, S., Staats, H., & Sorrel, M. A. (2016). Helping out on the land: Effects of children’s role in agriculture on reported psychological restoration. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 45, 201–209. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2016.01.005

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Corazon, S. S., Sidenius, U., Poulsen, D. V., Gramkow, M. C., & Stigsdotter, U. K. (2019). Psycho-physiological stress recovery in outdoor nature-based interventions: A systematic review of the past eight years of research. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(10), 1711. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16101711

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • De Pater, C. (2012). Spiritual experiences in nature, eco-friendliness and human well-being. Paper presented at the XI International People Plant Symposium on Diversity: Towards a New Vision of Nature, Baarlo, The Netherlands.

    Google Scholar 

  • De Vries, S., Verheij, R. A., Groenewegen, P. P., & Spreeuwenberg, P. (2003). Natural environments—Healthy environments? An exploratory analysis of the relationship between greenspace and health. Environment and Planning A, 35(10), 1717–1731. https://doi.org/10.1068/a35111

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dimitriou, V., Mavridou, P., Manataki, A., & Damigos, D. (2017). The use of aromatherapy for postoperative pain management: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Journal of Perianesthesia Nursing, 32(6), 530–541. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jopan.2016.12.003

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Doty, R. L. (2015). Handbook of olfaction and gustation. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Driver, B. L., Nash, R., & Haas, G. (1987). Wilderness benefits: A state-of-knowledge review. In R. C. Lucas (Ed.), Proceedings—National wilderness research conference: Issues, state-of-knowledge, future directions (pp. 294–319). Ogden, UT: USDA Forest Service Intermountain Research Station.

    Google Scholar 

  • Egner, L. E. (2016). Exploring the restorative effects of environments through conditioning. The conditioned restoration theory. Master’s thesis, Lillehammer University College, Lillehammer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fjørtoft, I. (2004). Landscape as playscape: The effects of natural environments on children’s play and motor development. Children, Youth and Environments, 14(2), 21–44. https://doi.org/10.7721/chilyoutenvi.14.2.0021

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Foster, J. A., & McVey Neufeld, K.-A. (2013). Gut–brain axis: How the microbiome influences anxiety and depression. Trends in Neurosciences, 36(5), 305–312. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tins.2013.01.005

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Franco, L., Shanahan, D., & Fuller, R. (2017). A review of the benefits of nature experiences: More than meets the eye. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 14(8), 864. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph14080864

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Frostegård, J. (2013). Immunity, atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. BMC Medicine, 11(1), 117. https://doi.org/10.1186/1741-7015-11-117

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gascon, M., Triguero-Mas, M., Martínez, D., Dadvand, P., Forns, J., Plasència, A., et al. (2015). Mental health benefits of long-term exposure to residential green and blue spaces: A systematic review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 12(4), 4354–4379. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph120404354

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gascon, M., Triguero-Mas, M., Martínez, D., Dadvand, P., Rojas-Rueda, D., Plasència, A., et al. (2016). Residential green spaces and mortality: A systematic review. Environment International, 86, 60–67. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2015.10.013

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gascon, M., Zijlema, W., Vert, C., White, M. P., & Nieuwenhuijsen, M. J. (2017). Outdoor blue spaces, human health and well-being: A systematic review of quantitative studies. International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health, 220(8), 1207–1221. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheh.2017.08.004

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Geisler, W. S. (2008). Visual perception and the statistical properties of natural scenes. Annual Review of Psychology, 59, 167–192. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psych.58.110405.085632

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gidlow, C. J., Jones, M. V., Hurst, G., Masterson, D., Clark-Carter, D., Tarvainen, M. P., et al. (2016). Where to put your best foot forward: Psycho-physiological responses to walking in natural and urban environments. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 45, 22–29. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2015.11.003

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goel, N., & Etwaroo, G. R. (2006). Bright light, negative air ions and auditory stimuli produce rapid mood changes in a student population: A placebo-controlled study. Psychological Medicine, 36(9), 1253–1263. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291706008002

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grafetstätter, C., Gaisberger, M., Prossegger, J., Ritter, M., Kolarž, P., Pichler, C., et al. (2017). Does waterfall aerosol influence mucosal immunity and chronic stress? A randomized controlled clinical trial. Journal of Physiological Anthropology, 36(1), 10. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40101-016-0117-3

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grahn, P., Tenngart Ivarsson, C., Stigsdotter, U., & Bengtsson, I. (2010). Using affordances as a health promoting tool in a therapeutic garden: The development of horticultural therapy in Alnarp, Sweden. In C. Ward Thompson, P. Aspinall, & S. Bell (Eds.), Open space: People space 2. Innovative approaches to researching landscape and health (pp. 120–159). Abingdon: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gross, H., & Lane, N. (2007). Landscapes of the lifespan: Exploring accounts of own gardens and gardening. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 27(3), 225–241. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2007.04.003

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Haga, A., Halin, N., Holmgren, M., & Sörqvist, P. (2016). Psychological restoration can depend on stimulus-source attribution: A challenge for the evolutionary account? Frontiers in Psychology, 7, 1831. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01831

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hägerhäll, C. M., Laike, T., Kuller, M., Marcheschi, E., Boydston, C., & Taylor, R. (2015). Human physiological benefits of viewing nature: EEG response to exact and statistical fractal patterns. Nonlinear Dynamics, Psychology, and Life Sciences, 19(1), 1–12.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hägerhäll, C. M., Taylor, R., Cerwén, G., Watts, G., Van den Bosch, M., Press, D., et al. (2018). Biological mechanisms and neurophysiological responses to sensory impact from nature. In M. Van den Bosch & W. Bird (Eds.), Oxford textbook of nature and public health—Section 2: How nature can affect health—Theories and mechanisms. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hartig, T., Book, A., Garvill, J., Olsson, T., & Garling, T. (1996). Environmental influences on psychological restoration. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 37(4), 378–393. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9450.1996.tb00670.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hartig, T., & Evans, G. W. (1993). Psychological foundations of nature experience. In T. Gärling & R. G. Golledge (Eds.), Behavior and environment: Psychological and geographical approaches (pp. 427–457). Amsterdam: Elsevier Science Publishers.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Hartig, T., Evans, G. W., Jamner, L. D., Davis, D. S., & Gärling, T. (2003). Tracking restoration in natural and urban field settings. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 23(2), 109–123. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0272-4944(02)00109-3

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hartig, T., Mang, M., & Evans, G. W. (1991). Restorative effects of natural-environment experiences. Environment and Behavior, 23(1), 3–26. https://doi.org/10.1177/0013916591231001

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hartig, T., Van den Berg, A. E., Hägerhäll, C., Tomalak, M., Bauer, N., Hansmann, R., et al. (2010). Health benefits of nature experience: Psychological, social and cultural processes. In K. Nillson, M. Sangster, C. Gallis, T. Hartig, S. De Vries, K. Seeland, & J. Schipperijn (Eds.), Forests, trees and human health and well-being. Dordrecht: Springer Science Business and Media.

    Google Scholar 

  • Health Council of the Netherlands. (2004). Nature and health. The influence of nature on social, psychological and physical well-being (2004/09). The Hague: Health Council of the Netherlands.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heft, H. (2010). Affordances and the perception of landscape. In C. Ward Thompson, P. Aspinall, & S. Bell (Eds.), Innovative approaches to researching landscape and health (pp. 9–32). London: Taylor & Francis Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jiang, S.-Y., Ma, A., & Ramachandran, S. (2018). Negative air ions and their effects on human health and air quality improvement. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 19(10), 2966. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms19102966

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Joye, Y. (2007). Architectural lessons from environmental psychology: The case of biophilic architecture. Review of General Psychology, 11(4), 305–328. https://doi.org/10.1037/1089-2680.11.4.305

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Joye, Y., & Bolderdijk, J. W. (2015). An exploratory study into the effects of extraordinary nature on emotions, mood, and prosociality. Frontiers in Psychology, 5, 1577. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.01577

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Joye, Y., Pals, R., Steg, L., & Lewis Evans, B. (2013). New methods for assessing the fascinating nature of nature experiences. PLoS One, 8(7), e65332. https://doi.org/10.1371/annotation/b4b68a93-1449-4df7-9788-6abe0cbbf6a0

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Joye, Y., Steg, L., Ünal, A. B., & Pals, R. (2016). When complex is easy on the mind: Internal repetition of visual information in complex objects is a source of perceptual fluency. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 42(1), 103. https://doi.org/10.1037/xhp0000105

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Joye, Y., & Van den Berg, A. E. (2011). Is love for green in our genes? A critical analysis of evolutionary assumptions in restorative environments research. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 10(4), 261–268. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2011.07.004

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kabisch, N., Van den Bosch, M., & Lafortezza, R. (2017). The health benefits of nature-based solutions to urbanization challenges for children and the elderly—A systematic review. Environmental Research, 159, 362–373. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2017.08.004

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kahn, P. H. (1997). Developmental psychology and the biophilia hypothesis: Children’s affiliation with nature. Developmental Review, 17(1), 1–61. https://doi.org/10.1006/drev.1996.0430

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kaplan, S. (1995). The restorative benefits of nature: Toward an integrative framework. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 15(3), 169–182. https://doi.org/10.1016/0272-4944(95)90001-2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kaplan, S., & Kaplan, R. (1982). Cognition and environment: Functioning in an uncertain world. New York: Praeger.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kaplan, R., & Kaplan, S. (1989). The experience of nature: A psychological perspective. New York: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kaplan, S., Kaplan, R., & Wendt, J. S. (1972). Rated preference and complexity for natural and urban visual material. Perception & Psychophysics, 12(4), 354–356. https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03207221

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kardan, O., Demiralp, E., Hout, M. C., Hunter, M. R., Karimi, H., Hanayik, T., et al. (2015). Is the preference of natural versus man-made scenes driven by bottom-up processing of the visual features of nature? Frontiers in Psychology, 6, 471. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00471

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Karlsson, F., Tremaroli, V., Nielsen, J., & Bäckhed, F. (2013). Assessing the human gut microbiota in metabolic diseases. Diabetes, 62(10), 3341–3349. https://doi.org/10.2337/db13-0844

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kellert, S. R., Heerwagen, J., & Mador, M. (2011). Biophilic design: The theory, science and practice of bringing buildings to life. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Knopf, R. C. (1987). Human behavior, cognition, and affect in the natural environment. In D. Stokols & I. Altman (Eds.), Handbook of environmental psychology (Vol. 1, pp. 783–825). New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Krzywicka, P., & Byrka, K. (2017). Restorative qualities of and preference for natural and urban soundscapes. Frontiers in Psychology, 8, 1705. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01705

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kuo, M. (2015). How might contact with nature promote human health? Exploring promising mechanisms and a possible central pathway. Frontiers in Psychology, 6, 1093. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01093

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lahart, I., Darcy, P., Gidlow, C., & Calogiuri, G. (2019). The effects of green exercise on physical and mental wellbeing: A systematic review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(8), 1352. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16081352

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee, M. S., Choi, J., Posadzki, P., & Ernst, E. (2012). Aromatherapy for health care: An overview of systematic reviews. Maturitas, 71(3), 257–260. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.maturitas.2011.12.018

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lekies, K. S., Yost, G., & Rode, J. (2015). Urban youth’s experiences of nature: Implications for outdoor adventure recreation. Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism, 9, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jort.2015.03.002

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lemmer, G., & Gollwitzer, M. (2017). The “true” indirect effect won’t (always) stand up: When and why reverse mediation testing fails. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 69, 144–149. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2016.05.002

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li, Q. (2010). Effect of forest bathing trips on human immune function. Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine, 15(1), 9. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12199-008-0068-3

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lippe-Biesterfeld, I. v. (1995). Dialoog met de natuur. Een weg naar een nieuw evenwicht [Dialogue with nature: A road to a new balance]. Ankh-Hermes.

    Google Scholar 

  • Littell, J. H., Corcoran, J., & Pillai, V. (2008). Systematic reviews and meta-analysis. New York: Oxford University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • McMahan, E. A., & Estes, D. (2015). The effect of contact with natural environments on positive and negative affect: A meta-analysis. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 10(6), 507–519. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2014.994224

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Meidenbauer, K. L., Stenfors, C. U. D., Young, J., Layden, E. A., Schertz, K. E., Kardan, O., et al. (2019). The gradual development of the preference for natural environments. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 65, 101328. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2019.101328

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Menzel, C., & Reese, G. (2019, September 4–6). Preference and restoration effects of nature and urban images: The roles of image properties and environment information. Paper presented at the International Conference on Environmental Psychology, Plymouth.

    Google Scholar 

  • Meyer, W. B. (2013). The environmental advantages of cities: Countering commonsense antiurbanism. Cambridge: MIT Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Moore, R. C. (1986). The power of nature orientations of girls and boys toward biotic and abiotic play settings on a reconstructed schoolyard. Children’s Environments Quarterly, 3(3), 52–69.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moore, R. C., Depp, C. A., Wetherell, J. L., & Lenze, E. J. (2016). Ecological momentary assessment versus standard assessment instruments for measuring mindfulness, depressed mood, and anxiety among older adults. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 75, 116–123. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2016.01.011

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mygind, L., Kjeldsted, E., Hartmeyer, R., Mygind, E., Stevenson, M. P., Quintana, D., et al. (2019). Effects of public green space on acute psychophysiological stress response: A systematic review and meta-analysis of the experimental and quasi-experimental evidence. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022002184015001005

  • Nasar, J. L. (1984). Visual preferences in urban street scenes: A cross-cultural comparison between Japan and the United States. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 15(1), 79–93. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022002184015001005

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ohly, H., White, M. P., Wheeler, B. W., Bethel, A., Ukoumunne, O. C., Nikolaou, V., et al. (2016). Attention Restoration Theory: A systematic review of the attention restoration potential of exposure to natural environments. Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part B, 19(7), 305–343. https://doi.org/10.1080/10937404.2016.1196155

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Öhman, A., & Mineka, S. (2003). The malicious serpent: Snakes as a prototypical stimulus for an evolved module of fear. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 12, 5–9. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8721.01211

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Parsons, R., Tassinary, L. G., Ulrich, R. S., Hebl, M. R., & Grossman-Alexander, M. (1998). The view from the road: Implications for stress recovery and immunization. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 18(2), 113–140. https://doi.org/10.1006/jevp.1998.0086

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Patuano, A. (2018). Fractal dimensions of landscape images as predictors of landscape preference. PhD Dissertation, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh.

    Google Scholar 

  • Posadzki, P., Alotaibi, A., & Ernst, E. (2012). Adverse effects of aromatherapy: A systematic review of case reports and case series. International Journal of Risk & Safety in Medicine, 24(3), 147–161. https://doi.org/10.3233/JRS-2012-0568

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Purcell, T., Peron, E., & Berto, R. (2001). Why do preferences differ between scene types? Environment and Behavior, 33(1), 93–106. https://doi.org/10.1177/00139160121972882

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ratcliffe, E., Gatersleben, B., & Sowden, P. T. (2018). Predicting the perceived restorative potential of bird sounds through acoustics and aesthetics. Environment and Behavior. https://doi.org/10.1177/0013916518806952

  • Redies, C. (2008). A universal model of esthetic perception based on the sensory coding of natural stimuli. Spatial Vision, 21(1), 97–117. https://doi.org/10.1163/156856808782713780

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reser, J. P., & Scherl, L. M. (1988). Clear and unambiguous feedback: A transactional and motivational analysis of environmental challenge and self-encounter. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 8(4), 269–286. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0272-4944(88)80034-3

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rice, E. L. (2012). Allelopathy. London: Academic.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rice, C. S., & Torquati, J. C. (2013). Assessing connections between young children’s affinity for nature and their experiences in natural outdoor settings in preschools. Children, Youth and Environments, 23(2), 78–102. https://doi.org/10.7721/chilyoutenvi.23.2.0078

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rook, G. A. (2013). Regulation of the immune system by biodiversity from the natural environment: An ecosystem service essential to health. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 110(46), 18360–18367. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1313731110

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rook, G. A., Raison, C. L., & Lowry, C. A. (2014). Microbial ‘old friends’, immunoregulation and socioeconomic status. Clinical and Experimental Immunology, 177(1), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1111/cei.12269

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Russell, K. C. (2001). What is wilderness therapy? The Journal of Experimental Education, 24(2), 70–79. https://doi.org/10.1177/105382590102400203

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ryan, R. M., Bernstein, J. H., & Brown, K. W. (2010). Weekends, work, and well-being: Psychological need satisfactions and day of the week effects on mood, vitality, and physical symptoms. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 29(1), 95–122. https://doi.org/10.1521/jscp.2010.29.1.95

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schmitt, P. J. (1990). Back to nature: The Arcadian myth in urban America. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Staats, H. (2012). Restorative environments. In S. D. Clayton (Ed.), The Oxford handbook of environmental and conservation psychology (pp. 445–458). New York: Oxford University Press.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Stamps, A. E. (1996). People and places: Variance components of environmental preferences. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 82(1), 323–334. https://doi.org/10.2466/pms.1996.82.1.323

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stevenson, M. P., Schilhab, T., & Bentsen, P. (2018). Attention Restoration Theory II: A systematic review to clarify attention processes affected by exposure to natural environments. Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part B, 21(4), 227–268. https://doi.org/10.1080/10937404.2018.1505571

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Strauss-Blasche, G., Ekmekcioglu, C., & Marktl, W. (2000). Does vacation enable recuperation? Changes in well-being associated with time away from work. Occupational Medicine, 50(3), 167–172. https://doi.org/10.1093/occmed/50.3.167

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Takano, T., Nakamura, K., & Watanabe, M. (2002). Urban residential environments and senior citizens’ longevity in megacity areas: The importance of walkable green spaces. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 56(12), 913–918. https://doi.org/10.1136/jech.56.12.913

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Taylor, R., Spehar, B., Hägerhäll, C., & Van Donkelaar, P. (2011). Perceptual and physiological responses to Jackson Pollock’s fractals. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 5, 60. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2011.00060

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thompson Coon, J., Boddy, K., Stein, K., Whear, R., Barton, J., & Depledge, M. H. (2011). Does participating in physical activity in outdoor natural environments have a greater effect on physical and mental wellbeing than physical activity indoors? A systematic review. Environmental Science & Technology, 45(5), 1761–1772. https://doi.org/10.1021/es102947t

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Twohig-Bennett, C., & Jones, A. (2018). The health benefits of the great outdoors: A systematic review and meta-analysis of greenspace exposure and health outcomes. Environmental Research, 166, 628–637. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2018.06.030

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tyrväinen, L., Ojala, A., Korpela, K., Lanki, T., Tsunetsugu, Y., & Kagawa, T. (2014). The influence of urban green environments on stress relief measures: A field experiment. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 38, 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2013.12.005

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ulrich, R. S. (1979). Visual landscapes and psychological well-being. Landscape Research, 4(1), 17–23. https://doi.org/10.1080/01426397908705892

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ulrich, R. (1981). Natural vs. urban scenes: Some psychophysiological effects. Environment and Behavior, 13, 523–556. https://doi.org/10.1177/0013916581135001

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ulrich, R. S. (1983). Aesthetic and affective response to natural environment. In I. Altman & J. F. Wohlwill (Eds.), Human behavior and environment: Advances in theory and research (Vol. 6, pp. 85–125). New York, NY: Plenum Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ulrich, R. S. (1993). Biophilia, biophobia and natural landscapes. In S. R. Kellert & E. O. Wilson (Eds.), The biophilia hypothesis (pp. 73–137). Washington, DC: Island Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ulrich, R. S., Simons, R. F., Losito, B. D., Fiorito, E., Miles, M. A., & Zelson, M. (1991). Stress recovery during exposure to natural and urban environments. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 11(3), 201–230. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0272-4944(05)80184-7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Valtchanov, D. (2013). Exploring the restorative effects of nature: Testing a proposed visuospatial theory. Dissertation, University of Waterloo. Retrieved from https://uwspace.uwaterloo.ca/bitstream/handle/10012/7938/Valtchanov_Deltcho.pdf

  • Van den Berg, A. E. (1999). Individual differences in the aesthetic evaluation of natural landscapes. Dissertation, University of Groningen, Groningen.

    Google Scholar 

  • Van den Berg, A. E. (2017). From green space to green prescriptions: Challenges and opportunities for research and practice. Frontiers in Psychology, 8, 268. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00268

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van den Berg, A. E., Hartig, T., & Staats, H. (2007). Preference for nature in urbanized societies: Stress, restoration, and the pursuit of sustainability. Journal of Social Issues, 63(1), 79–96. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-4560.2007.00497.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van den Berg, A. E., Jorgensen, A., & Wilson, E. R. (2014). Evaluating restoration in urban green spaces: Does setting type make a difference? Landscape and Urban Planning, 127, 173–181. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2014.04.012

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van den Berg, A. E., Joye, J., & De Vries, S. (2019). Health benefits of nature. In E. M. Steg & J. De Groot (Eds.), Environmental psychology: An introduction (pp. 55–64). London: Wiley-Blackwell.

    Google Scholar 

  • Van den Berg, A. E., Joye, Y., & Koole, S. L. (2016). Why viewing nature is more fascinating and restorative than viewing buildings: A closer look at perceived complexity. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 20, 397–401. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2016.10.011

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van den Berg, A. E., Koole, S. L., & Van der Wulp, N. Y. (2003). Environmental preference and restoration: (How) are they related? Journal of Environmental Psychology, 23(2), 135–146. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0272-4944(02)00111-1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van den Berg, A. E., & Ter Heijne, M. (2005). Fear versus fascination: An exploration of emotional responses to natural threats. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 25(3), 261–272. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2005.08.004

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van den Berg, A. E., Vlek, C. A. J., & Coeterier, J. F. (1998). Group differences in the aesthetic evaluation of nature development plans: A multilevel approach. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 18(2), 141–157. https://doi.org/10.1006/jevp.1998.0080

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van den Berg, M., Wendel-Vos, W., van Poppel, M., Kemper, H., van Mechelen, W., & Maas, J. (2015). Health benefits of green spaces in the living environment: A systematic review of epidemiological studies. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 14(4), 806–816. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2015.07.008

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van der Waal, M. E., Van den Berg, A. E., & Van Koppen, C. S. A. (2008). Terug naar het bos: effecten van natuurbelevingsprogramma ‘Het Bewaarde Land’ op de natuurbeleving, topervaringen en gezondheid van allochtone en autochtone kinderen. [Back to the woods: Influences of nature program ‘The Saved Land’ on nature perception, peak experiences, and health of immigrant and non-immigrant children]. Report 1702. Wageningen: Alterra.

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Hedger, S. C., Nusbaum, H. C., Heald, S. L., Huang, A., Kotabe, H. P., & Berman, M. G. (2019). The aesthetic preference for nature sounds depends on sound object recognition. Cognitive Science, 43(5), e12734. https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/nsqvy

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Von Lindern, E., Bauer, N., Frick, J., Hunziker, M., & Hartig, T. (2013). Occupational engagement as a constraint on restoration during leisure time in forest settings. Landscape and Urban Planning, 118(0), 90–97. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2013.03.001

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wohlwill, J. F. (1983). The concept of nature: A psychologist’s view. In I. Altman & J. F. Wohlwill (Eds.), Behavior and the natural environment: Advances in theory and research (Vol. 6, pp. 5–37). New York: Plenum.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Wood, E., Harsant, A., Dallimer, M., Cronin de Chavez, A., McEachan, R., & Hassall, C. (2018). Not all green space is created equal: Biodiversity predicts psychological restorative benefits from urban green space. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, 2320. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02320

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yates, A., Gray, F. B., Misiaszek, J. I., & Wolman, W. (1986). Air ions: Past problems and future directions. Environment International, 12(1), 99–108. https://doi.org/10.1016/0160-4120(86)90019-X

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yu, K. (1995). Cultural variations in landscape preference: Comparisons among Chinese sub-groups and Western design experts. Landscape and Urban Planning, 32(2), 107–126. https://doi.org/10.1016/0169-2046(94)00188-9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zelenski, J. M., & Nisbet, E. K. (2014). Happiness and feeling connected: The distinct role of nature relatedness. Environment and Behavior, 46(1), 3–23. https://doi.org/10.1177/0013916512451901

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zube, E. H., & Pitt, D. G. (1981). Cross-cultural perceptions of scenic and heritage landscapes. Landscape Planning, 8(1), 69–87. https://doi.org/10.1016/0304-3924(81)90041-1

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Spatial Sciences, Department of Cultural Geography, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands

    Agnes E. van den Berg

Authors
  1. Agnes E. van den Berg
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Agnes E. van den Berg .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Brain, Biology & Behavior and Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA

    Anne R. Schutte  & Jeffrey R. Stevens  & 

  2. Department of Child, Youth & Family Studies and Buffett Early Childhood Institute, University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA

    Julia C. Torquati

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2021 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

van den Berg, A.E. (2021). The Natural-Built Distinction in Environmental Preference and Restoration: Bottom-Up and Top-Down Explanations. In: Schutte, A.R., Torquati, J.C., Stevens, J.R. (eds) Nature and Psychology. Nebraska Symposium on Motivation, vol 67. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-69020-5_3

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation