Going outside -- even in the cold -- improves memory, attention

December 16, 2008

Published: 10 hours ago, 15:23 EST

Go outside: It helps improve your focus—even when it's

cold out. University of Michigan psychology research in the December issue of Psychological

Science explored the cognitive benefits of interacting with nature and

found that walking in a park in any season, or even viewing pictures of nature,

can help improve memory and attention.

U-M psychology researchers Marc Berman, Jonides and

Kaplan found memory performance and attention spans improved by 20

percent after people spent an hour interacting with nature.

Researchers believe the findings could have broader impact on helping people

who may be suffering from mental fatigue.

" Interacting with nature can have similar effects as meditating, "

Berman said. " People don't have to enjoy the walk to get the benefits. We

found the same benefits when it was 80 degrees and sunny over the summer as

when the temperatures dropped to 25 degrees in January. The only difference was

that participants enjoyed the walks more in the spring and summer than in the

dead of winter. "

Kaplan and his wife, Kaplan, a researcher in psychology and the School

of Natural Resources and Environment, argue that people are far more likely to

be satisfied with their lives when their environment supports three basic

needs: the ability to understand and explore; to feel they make a difference;

and to feel competent and effective.

Berman decided to test that theory by sending study

participants on walking routes around Ann Arbor. Participants walked on an

urban route down main streets and also on a route in U-M's Matthaei Botanical

Gardens and Nichols Arboretum, taking in nature. When participants walked in

the Arboretum, they improved their short-term memory by 20 percent, but showed

no improvements after walking down city streets.

The researchers also tested the same theory by having subjects sit inside and

look at pictures of either downtown scenes or nature scenes and again the

results were the same: when looking at photos of nature, memory and attention

scores improved by about 20 percent, but not when viewing the urban pictures.

Provided by University of Michigan

avast! Antivirus: Outbound message clean.

Recommended Posts