Im Test: Wald als Ressource für psychisches Wohlbefinden | In Test: Forest serving as a resource for psychological well-being

Abstract

Physical environment influences human health and well-being. In comparison with urban environments, natural environments contribute towards psychological well-being, which has been shown in several studies. However, a comparison of the effects caused by different natural conditions has not been focused on much. Furthermore, experiments on this topic are dominated by visual stimulation modes. Our work addresses these shortcomings. First, the dichotomy of natural and urban environments is opened up by comparing different natural environments – wild and tended forest – analyzing their impact on well-being. Second, the presentation mode, possibly influencing well-being itself, is systematically varied. In a 2 × 2 experimental design, participants from Zurich, Switzerland (N = 196), were randomly assigned to one of the treatment conditions: a walk in a wild or a tended forest area, presented by real exposure or in the laboratory by video. Self-reported well-being was assessed by standardized multidimensional scales in a pre-post design. The results demonstrate that the maintenance elicits different degrees of intensity in the influence on psychological well-being. The tended forest affected well-being more positively in some aspects, possibly due to a higher amount of dead wood arousing sadness in the wild forest. For designing urban natural areas, an appropriate degree of care should be visible for the visitor to increase the overall positive effect on well-being. Concerning the comparison of presentation modes, results show a stronger effect in the real exposure condition. However, the effect was unidirectional under both conditions, indicating the possibility to generalize laboratory results. This is important for conceptualizing further research on restoration and well-being elicited in laboratory settings.