Short answer

Designers should actively incorporate natural elements and consider visual composition to create environments that promote psychological restoration and reduce user stress.

Field: User-Centred Design
Source: Sustainability (2019)
Method: Mixed-methods approach combining eye-tracking and survey data.
Evidence: Strong effect

Exposure to natural scenes, characterized by elements like trees and flowers, elicits a stronger restorative effect on psychological well-being compared to urban environments, with visual aesthetics and complexity playing significant roles. This user-centred design research insight is drawn from a 2019 study published in Sustainability. Using Mixed-methods approach combining eye-tracking and survey data., researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Designers should actively incorporate natural elements and consider visual composition to create environments that promote psychological restoration and reduce user stress.

Study

User-Centred DesignHigh ImpactStrong effect

Natural landscapes enhance psychological restoration more than urban ones, irrespective of distance.

Sustainability · 2019

Key Findings

01Natural scenes demonstrated a significantly stronger positive restorative effect than built scenes.
02Visual aesthetics and complexity were significantly related to the restorative effect.
03Eye-tracking revealed differences in scan path length across the four landscape image types, validating its utility in studying restorative environments.

Application

Design takeaway

Designers should actively incorporate natural elements and consider visual composition to create environments that promote psychological restoration and reduce user stress.

How to apply

When designing workspaces, healthcare facilities, or public areas, integrate natural views, plants, and consider visual complexity to enhance user restoration and reduce perceived stress.

Project actions

01When researching user preferences, consider the impact of natural versus built environments on emotional states.
02Use eye-tracking or detailed observation to understand how users interact with different visual stimuli.

Method & Evidence

AimTo investigate the differences in psychological restorative effects between urban and natural landscapes, and to identify visual characteristics that contribute to these effects.

MethodMixed-methods approach combining eye-tracking and survey data.

ProcedureParticipants viewed 25 images categorized into four types: natural scene (close and distant views) and built scene (close and distant views). Eye-tracking data was collected to analyze scan path length, and participants completed surveys on visual aesthetics, complexity, and perceived restorativeness.

ContextEnvironmental psychology, landscape architecture, urban planning, and interior design.

Variables

IV["Type of landscape (natural vs. built)","Distance of view (close vs. distant)"]

DV["Psychological restorative effect (measured by Perceived Restorativeness Scale)","Visual aesthetics rating","Complexity rating","Scan path length (eye-tracking)"]

CV["Image content within categories","Participant viewing conditions"]

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

+Utilized a mixed-methods approach combining subjective survey data with objective eye-tracking metrics.
+Investigated multiple facets of landscape perception (aesthetics, complexity, restorativeness).

Limitations

The use of images might not fully capture the immersive experience of real environments. Findings might be influenced by individual preferences for nature or urban settings.

Reliability & validity

The use of established scales (Perceived Restorativeness Scale) and objective eye-tracking measures contributes to the validity of the findings. Reliability could be enhanced by a larger, more diverse sample and replication across different cultural contexts.

Think critically

To what extent can the findings from viewing static images be generalized to real-world immersive experiences, and how might individual cultural backgrounds influence the perception of 'natural' versus 'built' environments?

Design Principles

"Environments designed with natural elements and visually engaging compositions are more effective at restoring psychological well-being."

Understanding the psychological impact of different environments is crucial for designing spaces that promote well-being. This research offers tangible insights into how natural elements and landscape composition can be leveraged to create more restorative and less stressful user experiences in various design contexts.

What This Means for Your Design

Looking at nature pictures makes you feel better and more rested than looking at city pictures, and how pretty and detailed the picture is matters too.

How to use in your project

1.Reference this study when discussing the psychological impact of design choices, particularly concerning the use of natural elements versus urban aesthetics.

Add to My Project

Quick Cite

Paragraph starter

Research indicates that natural landscapes offer superior psychological restorative effects compared to urban environments, a finding supported by studies examining visual aesthetics and complexity. For instance, Kang and Kim (2019) found that natural scenes, regardless of distance, led to greater restoration, suggesting that incorporating natural elements and thoughtful composition is vital for designing spaces that promote user well-being.

Source

Sustainability

Differences of Restorative Effects While Viewing Urban Landscapes and Green Landscapes

journal · 2019

View source

Questions About This Research

What does the research say about natural landscapes enhance psychological restoration more than urban ones, irrespective of distance?: Designers should actively incorporate natural elements and consider visual composition to create environments that promote psychological restoration and reduce user stress. Evidence: Sustainability (2019).
Why does "Natural landscapes enhance psychological restoration more than urban ones, irrespective of distance." matter for design?: Understanding the psychological impact of different environments is crucial for designing spaces that promote well-being. This research offers tangible insights into how natural elements and landscape composition can be leveraged to create more restorative and less stressful user experiences in various design contexts.
How can designers apply this research?: Designers should actively incorporate natural elements and consider visual composition to create environments that promote psychological restoration and reduce user stress.
What were the main findings?: Natural scenes demonstrated a significantly stronger positive restorative effect than built scenes.. Visual aesthetics and complexity were significantly related to the restorative effect.. Eye-tracking revealed differences in scan path length across the four landscape image types, validating its utility in studying restorative environments.
What research method was used?: Mixed-methods approach combining eye-tracking and survey data..
How strong is the evidence?: Evidence strength is rated Strong effect, based on a 2019 journal from Sustainability.
What should I do differently in my next project?: When designing workspaces, healthcare facilities, or public areas, integrate natural views, plants, and consider visual complexity to enhance user restoration and reduce perceived stress.
What are the limitations?: The study used static images, which may not fully replicate the experience of being in a real environment. The sample size and demographic diversity were not specified.