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Autonomic Nervous System Responses to Viewing Green and Built Settings: Differentiating Between Sympathetic and Parasympathetic Activity

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  • Magdalena M.H.E. Van den Berg

    (Department of Public and Occupational Health, EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, Vrije Universiteit (VU) University Medical Center, van der Boechorststraat 7, NL 1081 BT Amsterdam, The Netherlands)

  • Jolanda Maas

    (Department of Psychology and Pedagogy, Vrije Universiteit (VU), Transitorium Van der Boechorststraat 1, NL 1081 BT Amsterdam, The Netherlands)

  • Rianne Muller

    (Department of Public and Occupational Health, EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, Vrije Universiteit (VU) University Medical Center, van der Boechorststraat 7, NL 1081 BT Amsterdam, The Netherlands)

  • Anoek Braun

    (Department of Public and Occupational Health, EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, Vrije Universiteit (VU) University Medical Center, van der Boechorststraat 7, NL 1081 BT Amsterdam, The Netherlands)

  • Wendy Kaandorp

    (Department of Public and Occupational Health, EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, Vrije Universiteit (VU) University Medical Center, van der Boechorststraat 7, NL 1081 BT Amsterdam, The Netherlands)

  • René Van Lien

    (Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit (VU), Transitorium Van der Boechorststraat 1, NL 1081 BT Amsterdam, The Netherlands)

  • Mireille N.M. Van Poppel

    (Department of Public and Occupational Health, EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, Vrije Universiteit (VU) University Medical Center, van der Boechorststraat 7, NL 1081 BT Amsterdam, The Netherlands)

  • Willem Van Mechelen

    (Department of Public and Occupational Health, EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, Vrije Universiteit (VU) University Medical Center, van der Boechorststraat 7, NL 1081 BT Amsterdam, The Netherlands)

  • Agnes E. Van den Berg

    (Department of Cultural Geography, Faculty of Spatial Sciences, University of Groningen, Landleven 1, 9747 AD Groningen, The Netherlands)

Abstract

This laboratory study explored buffering and recovery effects of viewing urban green and built spaces on autonomic nervous system activity. Forty-six students viewed photos of green and built spaces immediately following, and preceding acute stress induction. Simultaneously recorded electrocardiogram and impedance cardiogram signal was used to derive respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) and pre-ejection period (PEP), indicators of respectively parasympathetic and sympathetic activity. The findings provide support for greater recovery after viewing green scenes, as marked by a stronger increase in RSA as a marker of parasympathetic activity. There were no indications for greater recovery after viewing green scenes in PEP as a marker of sympathetic activity, and there were also no indications of greater buffering effects of green space in neither RSA nor PEP. Overall, our findings are consistent with a predominant role of the parasympathetic nervous system in restorative effects of viewing green space.

Suggested Citation

  • Magdalena M.H.E. Van den Berg & Jolanda Maas & Rianne Muller & Anoek Braun & Wendy Kaandorp & René Van Lien & Mireille N.M. Van Poppel & Willem Van Mechelen & Agnes E. Van den Berg, 2015. "Autonomic Nervous System Responses to Viewing Green and Built Settings: Differentiating Between Sympathetic and Parasympathetic Activity," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(12), pages 1-15, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:12:y:2015:i:12:p:15026-15874:d:60566
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Jenny J. Roe & Catharine Ward Thompson & Peter A. Aspinall & Mark J. Brewer & Elizabeth I. Duff & David Miller & Richard Mitchell & Angela Clow, 2013. "Green Space and Stress: Evidence from Cortisol Measures in Deprived Urban Communities," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-18, September.
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    Cited by:

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    2. Zhisong Zhang & Agnieszka Olszewska-Guizzo & Syeda Fabeha Husain & Jessica Bose & Jongkwan Choi & Wanqiu Tan & Jiayun Wang & Bach Xuan Tran & Bokun Wang & Yajie Jin & Wei Xuan & Pinjia Yan & Maomao Li, 2020. "Brief Relaxation Practice Induces Significantly More Prefrontal Cortex Activation during Arithmetic Tasks Comparing to Viewing Greenery Images as Revealed by Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNI," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(22), pages 1-10, November.
    3. Melissa R. Marselle & Sara L. Warber & Katherine N. Irvine, 2019. "Growing Resilience through Interaction with Nature: Can Group Walks in Nature Buffer the Effects of Stressful Life Events on Mental Health?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(6), pages 1-25, March.
    4. Shuping Huang & Jinda Qi & Wei Li & Jianwen Dong & Cecil Konijnendijk van den Bosch, 2021. "The Contribution to Stress Recovery and Attention Restoration Potential of Exposure to Urban Green Spaces in Low-Density Residential Areas," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(16), pages 1-20, August.

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