Barefoot walking, nature connectedness and psychological restoration: the importance of stimulating the sense of touch for feeling closer to the natural world

Our sense of touch helps us encounter the richness of our natural world. Across a myriad of contexts and repetitions, we have learned to deploy certain exploratory movements in order to elicit perceptual cues that are salient and efficient. The task of identifying optimal exploration strategies and somatosensory cues that underlie our softness perception remains relevant and incomplete. Leveraging psychophysical evaluations combined with computational finite element modeling of skin contact mechanics, we investigate an illusion phenomenon in exploring softness; where small-compliant and large-stiff spheres are indiscriminable. By modulating contact interactions at the finger pad, we find this elasticity-curvature illusion is observable in passive touch, when the finger is constrained to be stationary and only cutaneous responses from mechanosensitive afferents are perceptible. However, these spheres become readily discriminable when explored volitionally with musculoskeletal proprioception available. We subsequently exploit this phenomenon to dissociate relative contributions from cutaneous and proprioceptive signals in encoding our percept of material softness. Our findings shed light on how we volitionally explore soft objects, i.e., by controlling surface contact force to optimally elicit and integrate proprioceptive inputs amidst indiscriminable cutaneous contact cues. Moreover, in passive touch, e.g., for touch-enabled displays grounded to the finger, we find those spheres are discriminable when rates of change in cutaneous contact are varied between the stimuli, to supplant proprioceptive feedback.

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Paradise Regained? Localised and Limited Nature Connexions in the UK's Covid-19 Lockdown

Frontiers in Sustainable Cities ◽

10.3389/frsc.2021.708209 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 3 ◽

Author(s):

Julian Dobson ◽

Tony Gore ◽

Kim Graham ◽

Kate Swade

Keyword(s):

Online Survey ◽

Environmental Attitudes ◽

Well Being ◽

Public Spaces ◽

Natural World ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Paradise Regained ◽

Nature Connectedness ◽

The Uk ◽

Purposive Sample

Research has suggested that connexions between humans and the natural world lead to increased well-being and generate pro-environmental attitudes, which in turn benefit nature. This article asks whether users of outdoor public spaces in the UK during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 experienced greater connectedness with nature, consistent with the five “pathways to nature connectedness” identified in previous research. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of 42 individuals on their use of green and public spaces during the UK's lockdown, while a further 29 participants responded to an online survey. While the research revealed the importance of nature connectedness, only three of the five pathways were well-evidenced, and these connexions were frequently mediated by social activities. The article advances the study of nature connectedness by identifying challenges in applying the pathways framework and suggesting areas for further research to understand how the pathways operate in real-world conditions.

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An elasticity-curvature illusion decouples cutaneous and proprioceptive cues in active exploration of soft objects

10.1101/2020.08.04.237016 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Chang Xu ◽

Yuxiang Wang ◽

Gregory J. Gerling

Keyword(s):

Computational Modeling ◽

Natural World ◽

Perceptual Cues ◽

Perceptual Illusion ◽

Skin Deformation ◽

Soft Objects ◽

Tactile Illusion ◽

Sense Of Touch ◽

Active Exploration ◽

Exploratory Movements

AbstractOur sense of touch helps us encounter the richness of our natural world. Across a myriad of contexts and repetitions, we have learned to deploy certain exploratory movements in order to elicit perceptual cues that are optimal and efficient. Such cues help us assess an object’s roughness, or stickiness, or as in this case, its softness. Leveraging empirical experiments combined with computational modeling of skin deformation, we develop a perceptual illusion for softness, or compliance, where small-compliant and large-stiff spheres are indiscriminable. The elasticity-curvature illusion, however, becomes readily discriminable when explored volitionally. This tactile illusion is unique because it naturally decouples proprioceptive cues from those involving identical, cutaneous contact attributes. Furthermore, the illusion sheds light into exactly how we explore soft objects, i.e., by volitionally controlling force, to optimally elicit and integrate proprioceptive cues amidst illusory cutaneous contact.

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Examining the connection between nature connectedness and dark personality

10.31234/osf.io/shd7v ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Dean Fido ◽

Alice Rees ◽

Philip Clarke ◽

Dominic Petronzi ◽

Miles Richardson

Keyword(s):

Inner City ◽

Potential Role ◽

Well Being ◽

Natural World ◽

Future Research ◽

Rural Living ◽

Nature Connectedness ◽

Mental Well Being ◽

Explicit Measures

The psychological construct of nature connectedness - the depth of an individual’s relationship with the natural world - has not only been associated with benefits for mental well-being but has also shown relationships with personality traits relevant to the dark personality literature. These include agreeableness, cognitive and affective empathy, and callous and uncaring traits. Across two independently-sampled studies we delineate relationships between explicit and implicit indices of nature connectedness and dark personality. In Study 1 (N = 304), psychopathy (and Machiavellianism) was associated with self-reported, but not implicitly-measured, nature connectedness. Moreover, individuals scoring high on dark personality exhibited a preference for inner-city, relative to suburban or rural living. In Study 2 (N = 209), we replicated the findings of Study 1 in relation to explicit measures of nature connectedness but did not find further relationships between dark personality and the population densities of where participants had previously lived. Limitations of implicit and pseudo indices of nature connectedness are outlined, and the results are discussed in relation to future research and the potential role of nature connectedness interventions in forensic populations. Pre-registration information: [https://osf.io/2bpwy]. Data, syntax, and manuscript pre-print: [https://osf.io/3mg5d/?view_only=b5c7749d4a7945c5a161f0915a2d0259].

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Psychopathy moderates the relationship between nature connectedness and cognitive reappraisal

10.31234/osf.io/fv3bu ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Dean Fido ◽

Alice Rees ◽

Louise Wallace ◽

Lamprini Mantzorou

Keyword(s):

Emotion Regulation ◽

Online Survey ◽

Cognitive Reappraisal ◽

Positive Association ◽

Natural World ◽

Self Report ◽

Mental Wellbeing ◽

Connection To Nature ◽

Expressive Suppression ◽

Nature Connectedness

The innate relationship that humans share with the natural world is becoming increasingly strained. Our connection to nature - reflected through the psychological construct of nature connectedness - has been shown to benefit areas of physical and mental wellbeing; of which, several relationships are thought to be mediated by ones’ adaptive ability to regulate emotion. Emerging research has also indicated that nature connectedness and proficiency in emotion regulation share inverse relationships with deviant personality traits, such as psychopathy. However, it remains to be seen whether psychopathy, specifically, has a moderating role on the association between nature connectedness and emotion regulation. Three-hundred and nine participants completed an online survey whereby they were asked to self-report nature connectedness, emotion regulation strategy use, and psychopathy. Pearson correlations indicated a positive association between scores on nature connectedness and the use of cognitive reappraisal, but not expressive suppression strategies; a relationship found to be weaker in individuals scoring higher in psychopathy through moderation analysis. Evidence reported here support our hypotheses and indicate the necessity to acknowledge a more diverse array of personality constructs both when discussing the potential benefits of nature connectedness, and when testing the efficacy of nature-based interventions as a means of bringing about health- and wellbeing-related change.

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Visible Garden Biodiversity Leads to an Increase in Noticing Nature, Which in Turn Leads to an Increase in Nature Connectedness

10.31234/osf.io/uamwg ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Iain Hamlin ◽

Miles Richardson

Keyword(s):

Nature Conservation ◽

National Survey ◽

Natural World ◽

Connection To Nature ◽

Strong Connection ◽

Sensory Contact ◽

Nature Connectedness ◽

Using Data ◽

The Uk ◽

The Relationship

A strong connection to nature promotes behaviours that help conserve the natural world. However, it is likely that this relationship is reciprocal, with the pathways to nature connectedness including care for nature through pro-nature conservation behaviours and sensory contact with nature. Pro-conservation behaviours vary in terms of how much visible biodiversity, and therefore contact with nature, they produce. It is likely that conservation behaviours that support higher visible biodiversity will result in more sensory contact with nature and therefore greater levels of nature connectedness. The present research investigates the relationship between garden-focussed pro-nature conservation behaviour, noticing nature and nature connectedness using data from Natural England’s People and Nature Survey in the UK, a large national survey that includes items to measure noticing nature, nature connectedness, and pro-nature conservation behaviours. Results suggest that undertaking garden-based pro-nature conservation behaviours that enhance visible biodiversity leads to an increase in noticing nature, which in turn leads to an increase in nature connectedness. These results point to a relatively simple way to boost human connection to nature: boost and engage people with visible biodiversity.

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Associations between green/blue spaces and mental health across 18 countries

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-87675-0 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Mathew P. White ◽

Lewis R. Elliott ◽

James Grellier ◽

Theo Economou ◽

Simon Bell ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Mental Distress ◽

Green Space ◽

Well Being ◽

Natural World ◽

Negatively Associated ◽

Nature Connectedness ◽

Using Data ◽

Natural Settings ◽

Country People

AbstractLiving near, recreating in, and feeling psychologically connected to, the natural world are all associated with better mental health, but many exposure-related questions remain. Using data from an 18-country survey (n = 16,307) we explored associations between multiple measures of mental health (positive well-being, mental distress, depression/anxiety medication use) and: (a) exposures (residential/recreational visits) to different natural settings (green/inland-blue/coastal-blue spaces); and (b) nature connectedness, across season and country. People who lived in greener/coastal neighbourhoods reported higher positive well-being, but this association largely disappeared when recreational visits were controlled for. Frequency of recreational visits to green, inland-blue, and coastal-blue spaces in the last 4 weeks were all positively associated with positive well-being and negatively associated with mental distress. Associations with green space visits were relatively consistent across seasons and countries but associations with blue space visits showed greater heterogeneity. Nature connectedness was also positively associated with positive well-being and negatively associated with mental distress and was, along with green space visits, associated with a lower likelihood of using medication for depression. By contrast inland-blue space visits were associated with a greater likelihood of using anxiety medication. Results highlight the benefits of multi-exposure, multi-response, multi-country studies in exploring complexity in nature-health associations.

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