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An Assessment of Psychological Noise Reduction by Landscape Plants

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  • Fan Yang

    (College of Agriculture & Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, 268 Kaixuan Road, Hangzhou, 310029, China)

  • Zhi Yi Bao

    (School of Landscape Architecture, Zhejiang A & F University, North Huancheng Road 88, Linan, Hangzhou, 311300, China)

  • Zhu Jun Zhu

    (College of Agriculture & Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, 268 Kaixuan Road, Hangzhou, 310029, China
    School of Agriculture and Food Science, Zhejiang A & F University, North Huancheng Road 88, Linan, Hangzhou, 311300, China)

Abstract

The emphasis in the term ‘Green Transportation’ is on the word ‘green’. Green transportation focuses on the construction of a slow transport system with a visually pleasing, easy and secure trip environment composed of urban parks, green roadside spaces and some other space that is full of landscape plants. This trip environment encourages residents to make trip choices that reduce fuel consumption and pollution and is one of the most important ways of popularizing green transportation. To study the psychological benefits provided by urban parks and other landscape environments, we combined a subjective approach (a questionnaire) with an objective quantitative approach (emotional tests using an electroencephalogram; EEG). Using a questionnaire survey, we found that 90% of the subjects believed that landscape plants contribute to noise reduction and that 55% overrated the plants’ actual ability to attenuate noise. Two videos (showing a traffic scene and a plant scene) were shown to 40 participants on video glasses. We detected and recorded EEG values with a portable electroencephalograph, and a comparison between the results of the two groups revealed that there was a highly significant asymmetry between the EEG activity of the vegetation scene and traffic scene groups. The results suggest that the emotions aroused by noise and visual stimuli are manifested in the synchronization of beta frequency band and the desynchronization of alpha frequency band, indicating that landscape plants can moderate or buffer the effects of noise. These findings indicate that landscape plants provide excess noise attenuating effects through subjects’ emotional processing, which we term ‘psychological noise reduction’.

Suggested Citation

  • Fan Yang & Zhi Yi Bao & Zhu Jun Zhu, 2011. "An Assessment of Psychological Noise Reduction by Landscape Plants," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 8(4), pages 1-17, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:8:y:2011:i:4:p:1032-1048:d:11992
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Gesler, Wilbert M., 1992. "Therapeutic landscapes: Medical issues in light of the new cultural geography," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 34(7), pages 735-746, April.
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    2. Shilun Zhang & Xiaolong Zhao & Zixi Zeng & Xuan Qiu, 2019. "The Influence of Audio-Visual Interactions on Psychological Responses of Young People in Urban Green Areas: A Case Study in Two Parks in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(10), pages 1-14, May.
    3. Ahmet Akay & Serpil Önder, 2022. "An acoustical landscaping study: the impact of distance between the sound source and the landscape plants on traffic noise reduction," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 24(10), pages 12036-12058, October.
    4. Haifeng Li & Wenbo Chen & Wei He, 2015. "Planning of Green Space Ecological Network in Urban Areas: An Example of Nanchang, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-16, October.
    5. Xin-Chen Hong & Shi Cheng & Jiang Liu & Lian-Huan Guo & Emily Dang & Jia-Bing Wang & Yuning Cheng, 2023. "How Should Soundscape Optimization from Perceived Soundscape Elements in Urban Forests by the Riverside Be Performed?," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-13, October.
    6. Tjeerd C. Andringa & J. Jolie L. Lanser, 2013. "How Pleasant Sounds Promote and Annoying Sounds Impede Health: A Cognitive Approach," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-23, April.
    7. Rebecca Reece & Anna Bornioli & Isabelle Bray & Nigel Newbutt & David Satenstein & Chris Alford, 2022. "Exposure to Green, Blue and Historic Environments and Mental Well-Being: A Comparison between Virtual Reality Head-Mounted Display and Flat Screen Exposure," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(15), pages 1-21, August.

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