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Association between the Psychological Effects of Viewing Forest Landscapes and Trait Anxiety Level

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  • Chorong Song

    (Department of Forest Resources, Kongju National University, 54 Daehak-ro, Yesan-eup, Yesan-gun, Chungcheongnam-do 32439, Korea
    Center for Environment, Health and Field Sciences, Chiba University, 6-2-1 Kashiwa-no-ha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-0882, Japan)

  • Harumi Ikei

    (Center for Environment, Health and Field Sciences, Chiba University, 6-2-1 Kashiwa-no-ha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-0882, Japan)

  • Bum-Jin Park

    (Department of Environment and Forest Resources, Chungnam National University, 99 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34134, Korea)

  • Juyoung Lee

    (Department of Landscape Architecture, Hankyong National University, 327 Jungang-ro, Anseong-si, Gyeonggi-do 17579, Korea)

  • Takahide Kagawa

    (Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, 1 Matsunosato, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8687, Japan)

  • Yoshifumi Miyazaki

    (Center for Environment, Health and Field Sciences, Chiba University, 6-2-1 Kashiwa-no-ha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-0882, Japan)

Abstract

The aim of this study was to validate the psychological advantages of viewing forest landscapes. Moreover, the associations between trait anxiety levels and psychological responses were evaluated. A total of 650 university male students (age, 21.7 ± 1.6 years) viewed a scenery in a forested area and an urban area for 15 min. Furthermore, the Profile of Mood States questionnaire and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory were employed for the assessment of the psychological responses and the level of trait anxiety, respectively, of the participants. Results showed that compared with viewing a city area, viewing forest areas increased positive mood state, such as vigor, and decreased negative mood states. Furthermore, trait anxiety level and changes in the psychological responses such as depression–dejection, fatigue, and confusion after viewing forest landscapes were significantly correlated. The participants with high anxiety levels had greater reduction in negative mood state, including confusion, than those with low anxiety levels. In conclusion, viewing forest landscapes induced psychological relaxation, which was more evident in individuals with high anxiety levels.

Suggested Citation

  • Chorong Song & Harumi Ikei & Bum-Jin Park & Juyoung Lee & Takahide Kagawa & Yoshifumi Miyazaki, 2020. "Association between the Psychological Effects of Viewing Forest Landscapes and Trait Anxiety Level," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(15), pages 1-9, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:15:p:5479-:d:391654
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Florian Lederbogen & Peter Kirsch & Leila Haddad & Fabian Streit & Heike Tost & Philipp Schuch & Stefan Wüst & Jens C. Pruessner & Marcella Rietschel & Michael Deuschle & Andreas Meyer-Lindenberg, 2011. "City living and urban upbringing affect neural social stress processing in humans," Nature, Nature, vol. 474(7352), pages 498-501, June.
    2. Chorong Song & Harumi Ikei & Bum-Jin Park & Juyoung Lee & Takahide Kagawa & Yoshifumi Miyazaki, 2018. "Psychological Benefits of Walking through Forest Areas," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-10, December.
    3. Jonathan A. Patz & Diarmid Campbell-Lendrum & Tracey Holloway & Jonathan A. Foley, 2005. "Impact of regional climate change on human health," Nature, Nature, vol. 438(7066), pages 310-317, November.
    4. Kathleen L. Wolf & Sharon T. Lam & Jennifer K. McKeen & Gregory R.A. Richardson & Matilda van den Bosch & Adrina C. Bardekjian, 2020. "Urban Trees and Human Health: A Scoping Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(12), pages 1-30, June.
    5. Chorong Song & Harumi Ikei & Yoshifumi Miyazaki, 2016. "Physiological Effects of Nature Therapy: A Review of the Research in Japan," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-17, August.
    6. Chorong Song & Harumi Ikei & Miho Igarashi & Michiko Takagaki & Yoshifumi Miyazaki, 2015. "Physiological and Psychological Effects of a Walk in Urban Parks in Fall," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-13, November.
    7. Michelle C. Kondo & Jaime M. Fluehr & Thomas McKeon & Charles C. Branas, 2018. "Urban Green Space and Its Impact on Human Health," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-28, March.
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    Cited by:

    1. Seong-Hee Jo & Jin-Seok Park & Poung-Sik Yeon, 2021. "The Effect of Forest Video Using Virtual Reality on the Stress Reduction of University Students Focused on C University in Korea," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(23), pages 1-11, December.
    2. Shixian Luo & Jing Xie & Huixin Wang & Qian Wang & Jie Chen & Zhenglun Yang & Katsunori Furuya, 2023. "Natural Dose of Blue Restoration: A Field Experiment on Mental Restoration of Urban Blue Spaces," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-23, September.

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