Understanding sensescapes and restorative effects of nature-based destinations: a mixed-methods approach

Abstract

Nature is restorative for people suffering from stress and mental fatigues. While studies advocate to investigate restorative effects of nature from a multi-sensory perspective, this study also reveals mechanisms of how various aspects of sensescapes differentially influence visitors’ restorative experience in nature, especially with visitors’ different degrees of reduced outdoor exposure during the Covid-19 pandemic. Using a mixed-methods approach that combined survey questionnaire, in-depth interviews, real-time GPS loggers, portable sound level sensors, and eye-tracking technique, this study revealed that while visualscape, smellscape and haptiscape prominently influenced attention restoration, soundscape indirectly influenced attention restoration through positive emotions. Visitors with higher levels of reduction in exposure to outdoors due to the pandemic were more likely to restore themselves through multi-sensory engagement with nature. These findings advance the understanding of restorative benefits of nature by considering the spatio-temporal qualities of human-environment interactions through different senses and in the context of the pandemic.