A meta-analytic study examining the associations between nature exposure and the cognitive performance of children and adolescents found no significant link between the two. However, a meta-analysis of 34 nature exposure experiments found that, overall, they did produce small improvements in attentive and executive functioning. The research was published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology.
Exposure to nature refers to the time spent in natural environments, such as parks, meadows, forests, or gardens. Research indicates that being in nature can significantly improve mental health by reducing stress, anxiety, and depression. This connection is thought to be due to nature’s ability to promote relaxation and offer a break from the overstimulation of urban life. Additionally, exposure to nature has been linked to physical health benefits, including lower blood pressure, improved immune function, and increased physical activity.
In recent years, scientists have become interested in the effects of nature exposure on cognition. The demands of modern society can lead to mental fatigue and diminish an individual’s capacity to carry out complex cognitive tasks. The Attention Restoration Theory posits that exposure to nature can replenish these cognitive resources. Some researchers believe that exposure to nature produces experiences of “soft fascination” that capture attention in a non-taxing way. This allows the body and mind to rest from constant cognitive demands and restores cognitive abilities.
Study authors Lan Nguyen and Jared Walters noted that many studies have explored the links between nature exposure and cognition or experimentally tested the effects of nature exposure on cognitive functioning. They conducted two meta-analyses to examine the overall effects and associations found in these studies.
The study authors searched scientific databases for publications presenting studies that explored the associations between nature exposure and cognition or experimentally tested the effects of nature exposure on cognition. Their search resulted in 51 publications that they could include in their meta-analyses.
Of these studies, 22 reported associations between nature exposure and cognitive performance, while 34 reported results of experiments testing the effects of nature exposure on cognitive performance (some publications reported on both or multiple studies). When studies reported multiple measures of cognitive functioning, the authors aggregated them to create a single measure from each study.
Studies exploring the associations between nature exposure and cognitive functioning included a total of 36,941 participants. Of the 22 studies, 11 involved children, 9 involved adolescents, and 2 involved both. When their results were considered together, the authors found no association between nature exposure and cognitive performance. This finding was obtained even though statistical analysis showed that published studies of this type were likely somewhat selected for their positive results.
The 34 experimental studies included a total of 3,160 participants. Seventeen studies focused on children, and the other 17 on adolescents. Ninety percent of the studies focused on children and adolescents from the general population, with no particular mental health or physical disorders.
The nature exposure interventions were diverse and included completing cognitive tasks in nature, walking, playing, or doing activities in nature, virtual exposure to nature (using technology-delivered visuals or sounds of nature), redesigning classrooms to include more natural features, and nature schools (schools or kindergartens with nature exposure as part of their daily activities).
These experiments showed a small, positive effect of nature exposure on cognitive performance. The effects involved improvements in attention and executive functions. Executive cognitive functions are high-level mental processes that enable individuals to plan, focus attention, remember instructions, and manage multiple tasks effectively.
“The findings lend support to the Attention Restoration Theory suggesting that extended exposure to nature has the potential to restore and enhance attention and executive functioning in children and adolescents,” the study authors concluded.
The study sheds light on the effects of nature exposure on the cognitive functioning of children and adolescents. However, the authors noted that studies of lower methodological quality tended to report larger effects than better-designed studies. This may have somewhat biased the results.
The paper, “Benefits of Nature Exposure on Cognitive Functioning in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis,” was authored by Lan Nguyen and Jared Walters.
