Stress is common, and time outdoors can reduce it. When people cannot get outside, seeing nature on a screen may help. A team of researchers tested this idea with nearly 1,000 volunteers in labs across Europe and the United States.
Volunteers first watched a 10-minute video of workplace accidents to raise stress. Then each person watched one of six 10-minute environmental videos. Two were natural scenes, a forest and a stream. Four were urban scenes, including pedestrian areas and traffic.
The team used questionnaires before and after the videos and sensors to record heart activity and sweating. People who watched nature videos reported more positive emotion and less anger than people who saw urban scenes. Physiological stress measures improved over time for all participants.
Difficult words
- researcher — person who does scientific studiesresearchers
- volunteer — person who agrees to help without payvolunteers
- questionnaire — list of questions people answer in a studyquestionnaires
- sensor — device that measures body or environment datasensors
- physiological — connected with body functions like heartbeat
- urban — related to cities or town areas
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Have you ever watched nature on a screen to relax? What happened?
- Do you prefer natural scenes or city scenes when you feel stressed? Why?
- What could a study use instead of videos to test stress reduction?
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