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Neighborhood environments influence emotion and physiological reactivity
Daniel A Hackman1, Stephanie A Robert2, Jascha Grübel3
1USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, University of Southern California, 669 W. 34th Street, Los Angeles, 90089, California, USA. dhackman@usc.edu.
Scientific Reports
|July 3, 2019
Summary
Living in disadvantaged neighborhoods impacts health. Virtual reality simulations show these environments cause immediate stress and emotional responses, with physiological effects varying by parental education.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Psychology
- Health Psychology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Disadvantaged neighborhoods are linked to poorer health outcomes and premature mortality.
- Neighborhood environments may induce chronic stress and emotional responses, impacting long-term health.
- Limited research exists on neighborhood effects on stress and emotion due to methodological challenges.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the immediate effects of simulated neighborhood environments on stress and emotion.
- To explore the influence of virtual neighborhood disadvantage and affluence on psychological and physiological responses.
- To examine how parental education moderates the relationship between neighborhood simulation and physiological reactivity.
Main Methods:
- Development of a virtual reality (VR) experimental model simulating neighborhood disadvantage and affluence.
- Assessment of immediate stress and emotion following VR exposure.
- Measurement of physiological responses, including blood pressure and electrodermal activity.
- Analysis of the moderating role of parental education on observed effects.
Main Results:
- Exposure to simulated disadvantaged neighborhoods increased negative emotions and compassion while decreasing positive emotions compared to affluent neighborhoods.
- Physiological reactivity (blood pressure, electrodermal activity) to virtual neighborhoods was modulated by parental education.
- Individuals with lower parental education showed heightened reactivity to disadvantaged environments, whereas those with higher parental education reacted more strongly to affluent environments.
Conclusions:
- Simulated neighborhood environments can elicit immediate psychological and physiological stress responses.
- The impact of neighborhood environments on physiological stress is influenced by prior experiences and socioeconomic factors, such as parental education.
- VR offers a viable method for studying the complex interplay between environment, stress, emotion, and health.
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