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RESEARCH

Analysis of Psychophysiological Benefits of Landscapes in Natural Leisure Fields – A Study on the Therapeutic Agricultural Landscapes

The study found that people experienced lower heart rates, reduced muscle tension, and more positive emotions in natural farm landscapes compared to an urban setting. Among the farm sites, simpler scenes like farming fields and artificial ponds were especially effective at promoting relaxation and positive feelings.
Program Types: Social
Population Groups: General Population
Setting or Context: Urban vs. Rural Settings, Farms, Natural Areas/Parks/Forest
Health and Wellness Outcomes: Enhanced Emotional Well-being, Improved Stress Management
Allied Profession Intersections: Landscape Design
Type of Activity: Forest/Natural Area Immersion
Access: Available Upon Request
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Summary

This study explored how spending time in different types of natural farm landscapes affects people’s bodies and minds. Researchers in Taiwan measured participants’ heart rate, brain waves, and muscle tension as well as their feelings of relaxation, emotional response, and how much they liked the scenery. They compared four kinds of farm settings (like a natural stream and a vegetable field) with a city environment to see which had the most calming and refreshing effects. The experiments took place directly in these locations, rather than just showing pictures, to get more realistic results.

The results showed that all four natural farm landscapes helped people feel more relaxed and refreshed than the urban setting. Participants had lower heart rates, more relaxed brain activity, and more positive emotions in the natural areas. In particular, simple and open settings like artificial ponds and farming fields made people feel physically calmer, while more complex environments like ecological ponds stimulated curiosity and attention. Overall, the study supports the idea that well-designed farm landscapes can offer real health and mood benefits and should be included more in future urban and rural planning.

Link

Wu, C.C., & Chang, C.Y. (2021). Analysis of psychophysiological benefits of landscapes in natural leisure fields – a study on the therapeutic agricultural landscapes. Acta Hortic. 1313, 13-16

 

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