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The influence of natural environments on creativity
Chin-Wen Yeh1, Shih-Han Hung2, Chun-Yen Chang1
1Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Frontiers in Psychiatry
|August 15, 2022
Summary
Viewing natural environments, even in urban settings, enhances creativity. Higher perceived naturalness in urban areas leads to better creative performance and attention restoration.
Area of Science:
- Environmental psychology
- Urban planning
- Cognitive science
Background:
- Urban environments often lack natural elements, potentially impacting cognitive functions.
- Understanding the restorative effects of nature is crucial for urban well-being.
- Previous research suggests nature exposure benefits mental health and cognitive abilities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how different levels of perceived naturalness in urban environments affect attention restoration and creativity.
- To compare the creative performance and attention restoration benefits across urban nature settings with varying degrees of naturalness.
Main Methods:
- 100 participants viewed urban campus photosets categorized by high, medium, and low perceived naturalness.
- Creative thinking was assessed using the Abbreviated Torrance Test for Adults (ATTA).
- Perceived Restoration Scale (PRS) questionnaires measured attention restoration.
Main Results:
- Urban environments with high and medium perceived naturalness significantly improved creative performance compared to low naturalness.
- Significant differences in creative elaboration and flexibility were observed across naturalness levels.
- A strong correlation was found between perceived restoration scores (PRS) and creative performance (ATTA).
Conclusions:
- Exposure to high and medium naturalness in urban settings enhances creativity through attention restoration.
- Natural environments stimulate curiosity, flexibility, and imagination, improving creative idea uniqueness and diversity.
- Findings support the integration of natural elements in urban design for improved mental health and creativity.
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