Nature Of Experience Research Articles

Narratives of Blended Experience

Abstract This paper focuses on interaction across and between the physical/digital divide. We use blending theory to design for these situations, otherwise known as conceptual integration. Initially, this paper offers a discussion of the literature around blends. From this literature, we applied Benyon’s (Benyon, 2014) proposition of conceptual integration in mixed reality spaces (Blended Spaces) to consider interactions with the digital that complement the physical. We investigated blended spaces in partnership with undergraduate students during a live theatre festival. Our collaborators designed applications that applied blending principles, employing techniques drawn from speculative design. Outputs consist of speculative, narrative storyboards that use data gathered directly from stakeholder interviews and over 380 festival visitors. Our work led us to propose reworking Blended Spaces into a model that novice designers could easily conceive and apply. The work we conducted highlighted the need to consider user transitions from physical to digital and back again and highlighted the experiential nature of this type of interaction.

Encountering Animals Cultivates Meaningful Shared Experiences Between Children and Parents

ABSTRACT Childhood nature experiences – particularly those shared with caregivers – have consistently, over decades of research, been linked to children’s health, as well as their developing environmental commitments. Notably, animal interactions have been shown to play key roles in children’s psychological wellbeing and their developing conservation concerns. We investigated nature experiences children share with their parents, with a particular focus on those that involve interactions with animals. Parents (n = 49) of young children completed a written survey in which they provided a short narrative describing a significant experience in nature that they had shared with their child. The narrative accounts were systematically coded and interrater reliability was attained. The qualitative findings offer a rich account of nature experiences that children and parents share. Three broad themes were identified – (1) Typology of Nature Experiences, (2) Psychosocial Factors, and (3) Relational Bonding – and are illustrated and discussed within the context of promoting healthy childhood relationships with their caregivers and the wider natural world.

Diseñando la coexistencia urbana

This paper critically examines the prevailing paradigms of environmental and spatial justice, emphasising the existing disparities in policies that predominantly favour human interests while overlooking the fundamental rights and well-being of non-human species. Despite the growing acknowledgement of the importance of establishing a deeper connection between human and non-human actors for overall well-being, a pervasive speciesism mindset persists, distancing humans from the broader natural world. This separation from nature profoundly influences the formulation of policies and justice, establishing a bias that focuses primarily on human concerns and environmental conditions tailored to human well-being. Architects and planners, despite possessing the potential to enrich habitats for various species, frequently adopt human-centric approaches that marginalise other-than-human entities, restricting their access to the immediate surroundings of human territories and impeding opportunities for immersive nature experiences. This article advocates for a comprehensive paradigm shift in architectural practices, urging a more inclusive and equitable approach that extends spatial and environmental justice to encompass the diverse needs and rights of both human and non-human species within the urban landscape. The conclusions underscore the urgent need for architects and planners to re-evaluate their approaches, fostering an environment that supports coexistence and acknowledges the interconnectedness of all species. In the face of global biodiversity concerns and international frameworks such as the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, the research contributes to the discourse on sustainable and ethical design practices, advocating for a future where spatial and environmental justice extends its reach beyond the confines of human experience to create a respectful and just coexistence with the entire ecological community.

Influences of Outdoor Experiences During Childhood on Time Spent in Nature as an Adult

IntroductionTime spent in nature provides myriad physical and mental health benefits for both adults and children. Despite these benefits, most people spend too little time in nature to realize the maximal effect. Different types of childhood experiences may have differential influence on adult time in nature. This study assessed the influences of different kinds of childhood outdoor experiences on time spent in nature as an adult. The first aim was to utilize 20 childhood nature experience items to construct summative scales. The second aim was to examine the influence of each scale and other factors on adult time in nature. MethodsA 2-factor scale measuring “wild” and “domesticated” childhood nature experiences was developed using principal and confirmatory factor analyses. An on-line study of 2,109 American adults was conducted. Multiple linear regression examined the influences of the two childhood nature experiences scales, attitude and self-efficacy scales, and sex and age covariates, on adult time spent in nature. ResultsSignificant predictors of adult time in nature were wild childhood nature experiences (β = 0.279, < 0.001), positive attitudes about nature (β = 0.12, p < 0.05), negative attitudes about nature (β = -0.23, p < 0.001) and self-efficacy (β = 0.71, p < 0.001). ConclusionsWild childhood nature experiences (e.g., camping, hiking, and fishing) that include skill-building, that are immersive and engaging, and that involve opportunity for social interaction may translate better into adult nature activities. Programs that introduce and support wild experiences may increase lifelong time spent in nature.

Early childhood immersion in nature: Chinese kindergarten educators’ perspectives on nature play

Engagement with nature is crucial for child development and kindergarten educators’ pedagogical beliefs about nature play significantly affect children’s access to and experiences of nature in kindergarten. This study examines the role of nature play in children’s holistic development, engaging 12 Chinese kindergarten educators through in-depth interviews. The results demonstrated a consensus among participating educators regarding the significance of nature play in child development. Our analysis further revealed a prominent discrepancy: while most educators see nature play primarily for personal development and aesthetic appreciation of nature, very few recognise it as a strategic tool for environmental education in young children, which includes ecological literacy and sustainability. Their limited exposure to environmental education during their teacher education results in a skewed understanding of nature-based play pedagogy. These underpinnings may unintentionally narrow their holistic perspective on the wider scope of environmental education. The findings suggest the need to foster educators’ richer understanding of environmental education in nature play through teacher training.

Exploring Therapeutic Nature-Based Programs for Individuals Who Have Experienced Trauma: A Scoping Review

With the high prevalence of exposure to traumatic events, therapeutic programs that are focused on the recovery of individuals who have experienced trauma is necessary. Nature-based recreation and leisure programs have been found to be helpful for supporting mental health and wellbeing and are increasingly being used in therapeutic contexts. The purpose of this scoping review was to examine current research on the use of therapeutic nature-based activities being employed to support the recovery of individuals who have experienced trauma. This review utilized an established framework for conducting scoping reviews and a modified thematic analysis to gather and interpret relevant data. There were 25 studies included in this review, with three overarching themes being identified: nature experiences providing opportunities for respite and reprieve from trauma symptoms; building and improving connections and relationships to others; and supporting the development of positive intrapersonal outcomes. Gaps in the literature include a need for more diversity in the types of traumas being researched, the need to report more detailed information on the practitioner backgrounds and qualifications, as well as more descriptive information on program design and activities used to provide more insight into how interventions are delivered. Findings of this review are useful for practitioners to better understand the use of therapeutic nature-based programs for individuals who have experienced trauma.

The moderating role of personality traits between job stress, wellbeing and turn over intention: A comparative analysis between professional teaching qualifications among secondary school teachers in Pakistan

This study examines the moderating role of personality traits in the relationships between job stress, psychological well-being, and turnover intentions among 245 secondary school teachers (80 males, 165 females) in Karachi, Pakistan. Data was collected using purposive sampling from private and government schools. The research evaluates how personality domains (extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, emotional stability, openness) and job stress influence psychological well-being and turnover intentions, while considering demographic factors like gender, institution type, job nature, marital status, and teaching experience. Findings reveal workplace stress negatively predicted psychological well-being (β = -.976). Personality traits significantly influenced the job stress-well-being relationship, with higher extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness weakening job stress's negative impact, aligning with transactional stress-coping models. Unexpectedly, emotional stability strengthened the positive job stress-turnover intention link. Significant negative correlations existed between well-being and job stress (r = -.978), and well-being and turnover intention (r = -.971). Personality traits positively predicted turnover intentions. The moderating effects were statistically significant for extraversion (B = .021), agreeableness (B = .0184), conscientiousness (B = .022), emotional stability (B = .021), and openness (B = .0238). The study highlights implementing stress management and fostering positive personality traits to enhance educator well-being and retention. By identifying protective and risk factors, tailored interventions and policies can improve teachers' work-life quality and promote a conducive learning environment.

A framework for understanding the human experience of nature through cognitive mapping.

Human behavior is a key driver of the biodiversity crisis, and addressing it requires changing individual choices and actions. Yet, the same processes that imperil biodiversity (e.g., urbanization) also alienate people from the experience of nature, eroding care for the natural world. Although averting this extinction of experience is increasingly recognized as a major contemporary conservation challenge, understanding of what constitutes nature experience remains elusive and few empirical studies have explored it directly. Most researchers have used nature interactions as a stand-in for experience, even though experience extends beyond interactions. We aimed to determine what constitutes the experience of nature and to propose a holistic, empirically derived framework that incorporates the multiple dimensions and components of the experience of nature. Using a mixed-method approach across 3 countries (the United States, Switzerland, and Israel), we conducted a multistage, conceptual content, cognitive mapping (3CM) exercise with 106 participants. This methodology included developing a prompt to capture participants' perceptions of nature experiences and subsequently refining and organizing their input into distinct components and underlying dimensions through an iterative engagement process. Beyond multisensory interactions with nature, experience of nature consisted of 2 dimensions: the circumstances in which interactions occur and the internal responses that encompass various cognitive, affective, and restorative benefits associated with nature interactions. These 3 dimensions had 33 components that occurred consistently across participants in the 3 countries. Frequently mentioned components included seeing animals, landscapes, or scenery; lack of human influence; weather conditions; relaxing, recharging; feeling good; and awe for nature. Fear and nature experienced at home were the least mentioned components. Together, our results showed that nature experience is a combination of nature interactions, circumstances, and internal responses. The emphasized components underscore the significance of offering access to extensive, less human-influenced natural spaces. This in turn can foster a profound nature experience, cultivating feelings of connectedness and care for nature.

Audio-visual-olfactory immersive digital nature exposure for stress and anxiety reduction: a systematic review on systems, outcomes, and challenges

Evidence supporting the benefits of immersive virtual reality (VR) and exposure to nature for the wellbeing of individuals is steadily growing. So-called digital forest bathing experiences take advantage of the immersiveness of VR to make individuals feel like they are immersed in nature, which has led to documented improvements in mental health. The majority of existing studies have relied on conventional VR experiences, which stimulate only two senses: auditory and visual. However, the principle behind forest bathing is to have one stimulate all of their senses to be completely immersed in nature. As recent advances in olfactory technologies have emerged, multisensory immersive experiences that stimulate more than two senses may provide additional benefits. In this systematic literature review, we investigate the multisensory digital nature setups used and their psychological and psychophysiological outcomes; particular focus is placed on the inclusion of smells as the third sensory modality. We searched papers published between 2016 and April 2023 on PubMed, Science Direct, Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar, and IEEE Xplore. Results from our quality assessment revealed that the majority of studies (twelve) were of medium or high quality, while two were classified as low quality. Overall, the findings from the reviewed studies indicate a positive effect of including smells to digital nature experiences, with outcomes often comparable to conventional exposure to natural environments. The review concludes with a discussion of limitations observed in the examined studies and proposes recommendations for future research in this domain.

Augustine on music as the harmonious language of spirituality: An apophatic theological study

This article arose from the study of apophatic theology also known as the via-negativa. Apophatic theology, by definition, refrains from stating what and who God is instead of focusing on what God is not. It renders religious language as a sign-system inadequate in describing God, his nature, and human numinous experiences. Yet, language is the fundamental modelling system that stimulates our everyday phenomenological, spiritual, and religious developments. This article is demonstrating how the apophatic theological view attempted to solve or investigate the inadequacy of religious language or the lack of God’s language. The research drew from contemporary scholarship on Augustine’s use of apophatic theology in developing its hypothesis of the importance of music as a transcendental language. Moreover, through music and prayer, language becomes an intermediary beyond the physical to the metaphysical. In this instance, Augustine of Hippo, coming to terms with the inadequacy of religious language, considered music a succinct communicative tool in his theology and divine pedagogy. So, due to the challenges of language, the purpose of this article is using Augustine and his view of music within the Sitz im Leben of his spiritual development to solve a theological problem. In this article, the following will be discussed: (1) Augustine’s Confessions as a dialogue where he speaks to God through Scriptures and hymns; (2) Augustine’s earlier philosophical theory of music; (3) and Augustine’s use of apophatic theology in our spiritual development. The importance of this research will help us understand God’s immanence (over his ineffable) through our use and understanding of music as a harmonious language consisting of unchanging mathematical properties. Furthermore, the truthfulness of music as a harmonious language about God’s mystery can be better understood.Contribution: Through Augustine’s apophatic theology, this study contributes to our understanding and revitalisation of spirituality using music as an alternative form of harmonious language of the spirit. Moreover, it considers music a universal language that transcends all senses and other modes of cognitive activities. By establishing a basic principle of what makes us spiritual, we can transform our cognitive abilities and become better spiritual beings. Furthermore, this study examined the harmonic nature of music in the seven liberal arts as a significant mathematical aspect of the cosmos.

Reimagining urban habitats to benefit people and nature

ABSTRACT Urbanisation is a leading cause of global biodiversity loss, imposing the most rapid and ecologically damaging impacts of any human driven land-use change. Despite the trend of biodiversity decline, urban nature provides many health, wellbeing and workplace productivity benefits to city dwellers. Hence, there is an urgent need to return nature to cities not only to conserve biodiversity, but also to maintain human experiences of nature. To meet this challenge, there are currently significant global attempts to re-green cities to improve environmental condition, including restoring habitat for biodiversity. However, many barriers to widespread implementation still exist, including competition for limited space, a lack of technical capacity, and a disengaged community. New approaches to urban restoration are urgently needed that suit the small fragments of space available, and that can deliver multiple benefits not only to conserve urban biodiversity but also to reconnect people with nature. To overcome these challenges, an ‘ecology with cities’ perspective, combining horticultural, ecological and social approaches to urban habitat management and restoration, is needed. Significant opportunities exist for urban ecologists and zoologists to engage with practitioners and the community to co-develop and implement approaches to successfully achieve the aim of creating biodiverse urban environments.

Toward Restorative Hospital Environment: Nature and Art in Finnish Hospitals.

This study explores the integration of nature and art in recent hospital construction projects in Finland, focusing on public hospitals. Interviews with 15 stakeholders, including hospital executives, workers, designers, artists, and architects, reveal the value placed on nature and nature-themed art in hospital settings. The research question presented was: How nature and art are incorporated in Finnish hospitals in order to achieve a restorative hospital environment? Findings highlight themes that appeared in different hospitals: (1) the desired atmosphere, (2) nature and multisensory experiences, (3) social support, and (4) sense of connection and belonging. Bringing nature inside the hospital, whether through natural elements or artworks, emerges as a promising approach. Despite positive outcomes, challenges such as cost and maintenance persist, indicating the need for further research to optimize these initiatives. Overall, incorporating nature and art in hospitals has the potential to enhance healing and well-being for patients, families, and healthcare workers.

Validierung eines Fragebogeninstrumentes zur Erfassung des Erlebens von Natur: Die Experience of Nature Scale

Zusammenfassung Hintergrund: In den letzten Jahren ist insbesondere die Natur als Ressource in das Interesse der gesundheitspsychologischen Forschung gerückt. In Ergänzung zum etablierten Konzept der Naturzuwendung als Haltung wurde ein For­schungsinstrument zum Naturerleben entwickelt, welches das subjektive, teilweise intentionale Erleben von Natur unter unterschiedlichen Aspekten beleuchtet. Dazu gehören insbesondere Natur als Erlebensraum, um sich von der Alltagsbelastung distanzieren zu können, um Auszeiten durch Ruhe und Stille finden zu können, um emotionale Ausgeglichenheit zu erlangen, Natur als Ort der Faszination und des Staunens, Naturerleben als Basis für einen verantwortlichen Umgang mit der Natur. Das Manuskript zeigt die Ergebnisse der Validierung des neu entwickelten Fragebogeninstrumentes zum Naturerleben. Methoden: Eine anonyme Online-Querschnittsstudie unter 441 Teilnehmenden wurde mit standardisierten Fragebogeninstrumenten zur Validie­rung der Experience of Nature Scale (ENS) mittels explorativer Faktoren- (Hauptkomponentenanalyse mit Varimax-Rotation) und Reliabilitätsanalysen (Cronbachs α) durchgeführt. Ergebnisse: Die explorative Faktorenanalyse der Naturerlebens-Skala mit 11 Items ergab drei Hauptfaktoren mit guter interner Kongruenz, die 71% der Varianz erklären: (1) Alltagsdistanzierung/Entspannung (Cronbachs α = 0,87), (2) Faszination Natur/Staunen (Cronbachs α = 0,82) und (3) Verantwortungsempfinden für Natur (Cronbachs α = 0,85). Diese Faktoren korrelierten stark mit der Naturverbundenheit (NR-6) und moderat bis stark mit Ehrfurcht/Dankbarkeit (GrAw-7) im Sinne der Konvergenzvalidität, aber nur marginal bis schwach mit psychologischem Wohlbefinden (WHO-5). Schlussfolgerungen: Die ENS zur Erfassung des affektiven Erlebens von Natur hat gute psychometrische Qua­litätsindizes und kann in künftigen Studien zur Bedeutung dieses Erlebens von Natur zum Beispiel als Prädiktor- oder Prozessvariable eingesetzt werden.

Optimizing Virtual Nature for Psychological and Physiological Well-Being: A Systematic Review of the Moderating Effects of Duration, Nature Type, Sample Characteristics, and Immersiveness and Potential Risks of Bias

Virtual nature research has emerged as a prominent and captivating study area, gaining much attention for its profound potential to enhance well-being. This literature review aimed to expand prior reviews of virtual nature experiences on psychological and physiological well-being in two ways: summarizing how four factors may moderate the beneficial effects of virtual nature and reporting the risk of bias in this body of literature. Searches for peer-reviewed research articles were conducted in Web of Science and Scopus and manually identified, returning 78 relevant empirical studies published between 2010 and 2023. The assessment of bias was conducted utilizing Cochrane’s RoB 2 and ROBINS-I tools. The four moderators examined were duration of exposure (i.e., ≤5 min, 5–10 min, ≥10 min), type of virtual nature (i.e., green space, blue space), sample characteristics (i.e., age, health status), and immersion level (i.e., virtual reality [VR], 2D screens). We found limited evidence for the impact of the first three moderators but stronger evidence for higher levels of immersion showing stronger benefits. All studies were found to have a moderate to high risk of bias, mostly related to the subjective measurement of outcomes. Future research should prioritize studying tailored virtual nature interventions and their long-term effects among diverse participants and different types of virtual environments, as well as investigating the influence of presence and immersion levels in virtual settings. These efforts will provide further insights into the underlying mechanisms of the benefits derived from virtual nature exposure.

Existential Well-Being in Nature: A Cross-Cultural and Descriptive Phenomenological Approach

Exploring the putative role of nature in human well-being has typically been operationalized and measured within a quantitative paradigm of research. However, such approaches are limited in the extent to which they can capture the full range of how natural experiences support well-being. The aim of the study was to explore personal experiences in nature and consider how they might be important to human health and well-being. Based on a descriptive phenomenological analysis of fifty descriptions of memorable moments in nature from England, Indonesia, and Norway, our findings illustrate a common structure presented under three themes: 1. serenity that gives rise to a growing awareness of how the body is stimulated by the senses; 2. admiration and appreciation for the sensation of beauty; 3. an emerging sense of togetherness and deep emotional bonding. The findings are discussed using the concepts of ecological time and the ecological body, which foreground being in nature as constituted as an interdependent and dynamic human process. We conclude by understanding well-being in terms of human responsiveness to their surroundings and thus as rooted in the human condition.

Człowiek w obliczu sytuacji granicznej

The article presents the intellectual biography of Mieczysław Wallis in the light of his several years of experience as a prisoner of war. During World War II, the philosopher was sentenced to the German POW camp in Woldenberg, where he lived for several years. Wallis’ assessment of his stay in the POW camp is presented primarily in the text entitled The Psyche of a Prisoner of War, in which the philosopher describes the psychological threat– “barbed wire disease”, from which POWs often suffered. Importantly, Wallis himself did not succumb to the camp’s atmosphere of anxiety and did not mentally lose himself in danger of long-term captivity. His existential power was drawn primarily from the world of his own interior ‒turning to the sphere of values and experiences of an aesthetic nature. It was in the world of aesthetic experiences that Wallis found a refuge for human subjectivity, autonomy, freedom, and dignity. He was convinced that aesthetic experiences are a source of a special kind of joy that can balance suffering in human life.

Assessing the impact of an integrated educational program on Greek students' knowledge about coastal lagoons and attitudes towards marine environment conservation

The primary objective of this study is to contribute to the conservation and sustainable use of seas by promoting Ocean Literacy. It investigates the impact of an educational program on Greek primary and secondary public school students' knowledge about coastal lagoons and attitudes towards marine environment conservation. An educational resource titled “Exploring the Coastal Lagoons” was developed to facilitate the non-formal educational intervention. The program involved classroom, fieldwork/outdoor and laboratory activities, focusing on enhancing understanding of coastal lagoons' abiotic and biotic characteristics and human interconnection. Results showed improved knowledge and slightly more positive attitudes after the didactic intervention. The study underlines the effectiveness of targeted educational interventions in marine sciences, suggesting that non-formal educational settings influence student outcomes more than family or informal sources. Younger students appeared more adaptable and responsive to educational stimuli. The study advocates for refined educational strategies integrating cognitive and emotional elements, emphasizing real nature experience.

Experience of nature can drive its protection

Experience of nature can drive its protection

Conservation volunteers’ experiences of connecting with nature during the COVID-19 pandemic: an interpretative phenomenological analysis

The COVID-19 pandemic caused significant negative implications for individual wellbeing and many people accessed green spaces to help them cope with the demands of national lockdown restrictions. In response, the current study used Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to investigate the experiences of ten UK based nature volunteers whose activities had been disrupted due to the UK COVID-19 lockdowns throughout 2020. Each nature volunteer participated in a semi-structured interview held on a virtual platform which invited them to explore their experiences in nature during the pandemic. Analysis identified three main themes. ‘Sensations of nature’ explored the sense of presence and oneness with nature that the volunteers felt when mindfully engaging with the sensations found in nature. ‘Stability from nature’ investigated the ways in which the volunteers found meaning in nature and the sense of comfort, stability and hope this provided. Finally, ‘Changing relationships with nature’ examined the greater environmental awareness that the volunteers experienced and the ways in which this led to a desire to give back to nature. It is argued that mindful engagement with nature enhances a sense of personal wellbeing and cultivates a connection to nature which encourages environmental concern.

An Analysis of Figurative Language in Taufiq Rafat’s Poem “The Time to Love”

Figurative language reveals meanings and analyses. Therefore, the researcher focuses on this analysis in Taufiq Rafat's poem “The Time to Love." This research analyses language features and establishes meaning. There are three research problems: What are the kinds of figures of speech used in Taufiq Rafat's poem? What are the lexical categories indicated in Taufiq Rafat's poem? What are the content meanings of figurative language revealed in Taufiq Rafat's poem entitled “The Time to Love"? The study explores answers using a multilevel approach to the first and second research problems. Both are analyzed and based on two language levels: figures of speech and lexical categories. The third problem was answered by connecting the language features to reveal meanings in the poem.The findings are the answers to the research problem. The figures of speech used by the poet include alliterations, assonances, consonances, metaphors, personifications, and symbols. The lexical categories consist of nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and prepositions. The third research problem is to link each other to deliver the meaning that love, nature, and human life experience in the poem. From the two analysis levels, figurative language contributes the most to constructing the meaning.