走进大自然:自然体验及其积极效应

Going Into Nature:Nature Experience and Its Positive Effects

自然体验是指个体通过各种感官感知自然或与源于自然界的刺激互动。研究者通常使用问卷测量法、自然指标法或实验操纵法来量化操纵人们的自然体验,发现接触自然可以在心理、生理和行为等方面产生积极效应。且这些积极效应会受到物理环境、个体以及社会因素的影响。未来应突破"城市——自然"二元对立思想并加强积极效应的纵深研究,拓展研究群体,促进相关研究成果的实际应用。

With the acceleration of industrialization and urbanization,there are fewer opportunities for modern people to contact with nature,and the relationship between human and nature has been seriously damaged.As a result,more and more urban residents have physical and mental sub-health problems.Researchers from multiple fields have tried to restart the connections between human and nature,and find ways in nature to benefit"modern human health".Nature experience means that individuals perceive and/or interact with stimuli from the nature world through various sensory channels.Researchers usually use subjective questionnaire measurement methods,objective nature index methods and experimental manipulation methods to quantify and manipulate individuals’nature experience.Previous studies have applied these methods and found that perceptions and/or interactions with natural environments have positive effects on mental health,cognitive function,physical health and behaviors.Among them,the positive effects of nature experience on mental health include the weakening of negative mental states and the strengthening of positive mental states.Moreover,previous studies showed that living near the natural environment is beneficial for long-term physical health.In terms of behaviors,people with a higher level of nature experience tend to exhibit fewer negative behaviors and more positive behaviors.With the development of multidisciplinary research related to nature experience,some scholars no longer stop at verifying whether or where there are positive effects of nature experience,they have begun to explore the factors that may affect the positive effects of nature experience,including physical environmental,personal and social factors.In terms of physical environmental factors,previous explorations of“the positive effects of nature experience”mostly focused on targets such as trees,green spaces,and/or forest parks.In addition to green space elements such as plants,there are many other key elements in nature that may play an important role in promoting positive effects,including water,animals and microorganisms.Moreover,individual perception and interaction with the natural environment may affect the positive effects of the nature experience.Among them,some research evidence indicates that it is possible to have a positive effect by perceiving a safe or attractive natural environment.In addition,factors such as the relationship between people and nature,the type of interaction,the frequency/duration of interaction may also affect the occurrence and extent of positive effects.Additionally,the influence of social factors such as social interaction and population mobility has been confirmed.In terms of social interaction,studies have shown that social interaction opportunities in nature areas are one of the important factors that promote people’s contact with natural areas.Future research should pay attention to improve the quantitative methods of natural experience dose,break through the inherent dualistic thinking of"urban-nature",and broaden the research issues and ideas of positive effects.In addition,researchers can expand the research subjects from normal groups to special groups(such as the elderly,violent criminal prisoners,the Internet and substance addicts).At the same time,it encourages the integration of the needs of multiple fields to promote the research results of nature experience to social reality.