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.
Published: 2015-12
Autonomic Nervous System Responses to Viewing Green and Built Settings: Differentiating Between Sympathetic and Parasympathetic Activity
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
autonomic nervous system, natural environment, pre-ejection period, respiratory sinus arrhythmia, stress buffering, stress recovery
- Item Type: journalArticle
- Publication Title: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
- Volume: 12
- Pages: 15860-15874
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- DOI: /10.3390/ijerph121215026
- ISSN: 1660-4601
- Short Title: Autonomic Nervous System Responses to Viewing Green and Built Settings
- Library Catalog: www.mdpi.com
