Neale, Boukhechba, and Cinderby’s research confirms that people worldwide benefit from spending time in natural urban spaces. As the trio report, “Our research sought to understand the psychophysiological responses of participants in Nakuru (Kenya) and Udon Thani (Thailand) when walking in urban settings within their given city. . . . results show beneficial effects of nature within urban settings on heart rate variability, suggesting lower stress responses in these areas. . . . There appears to be beneficial effects of nature in both study locations, demonstrated by increased heart rate variability in park/natural settings within the urban walks. These results suggest a beneficial effect on stress response that can be important in the development of public health measures as these cities continue to rapidly urbanise.”
Neale, M Boukhechba, and S. Cinderby. “Understanding the Psychophysiological Responses to Walking in Urban Settings in Asia and Africa.” Journal of Environmental Psychology, in press, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2023.101973
Sally Augustin, PhD, a cognitive scientist, is the editor of Research Design Connections (www.researchdesignconnections.com), a monthly subscription newsletter and free daily blog, where recent and classic research in the social, design, and physical sciences that can inform designers’ work are presented in straightforward language. Readers learn about the latest research findings immediately, before they’re available elsewhere. Sally, who is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association, is also the author of Place Advantage: Applied Psychology for Interior Architecture (Wiley, 2009) and, with Cindy Coleman, The Designer’s Guide to Doing Research: Applying Knowledge to Inform Design (Wiley, 2012). She is a principal at Design With Science (www.designwithscience.com) and can be reached at sallyaugustin@designwithscience.com.