scholarly journals The effects of viewing a winter forest landscape with the ground and trees covered in snow on the psychological relaxation of young Finnish adults: A pilot study

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. e0244799
Author(s):  
Ernest Bielinis ◽  
Emilia Janeczko ◽  
Norimasa Takayama ◽  
Anna Zawadzka ◽  
Alicja Słupska ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Snow Cover ◽  
Positive Emotions ◽  
Negative Mood ◽  
Preventive Treatment ◽  
Relaxation Effect ◽  
Subjective Vitality ◽  
Forest Environment ◽  
Vast Number ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Forest Bathing

Forest bathing is an outdoor activity, and it might be a promising preventive treatment for social problems involving stress. A vast number of studies confirm the positive effects of this activity on people’s health. Nevertheless, little is known about the influence of winter forest bathing when conducted in an environment with snow cover on the ground and trees. Thus, a crossover experiment was designed in this study, with the participation of twenty-two healthy university students from Finland. During the experiment, a short exposition by a forest environment or landscape with buildings (as a control) was applied. Participants self-reported their psychological relaxation before and after the exposition, and the results were analyzed and compared. The mood, emotions, restorativeness, and subjective vitality were recorded as indices reflecting the psychological relaxation effect. The negative mood indices decreased significantly after exposition by the snow-covered environment, but the positive ‘vigor’ indices did not increase or decrease significantly. The level of negative emotions increased after the exposition with the control environment. Likewise, positive emotions decreased after the interaction with the control. Restorativeness was significantly increased after the exposition by the experimental forest but decreased after the viewing of the control buildings. The size of the effect in terms of restorativeness was the highest in this experiment. The subjective vitality was lowered as affected by the control, but it did not increase or decrease after the exposition with the experimental forest. There is probably an effect from the slight interruption in the process from the influence of the forest greens on participants because their vigor and vitality did not increase after the exposition with this environment in the study. However, snow might influence the participants as a calming and emotion-lowering component of the environment, but this idea needs to be further explored with the involvement of participants from other countries who would be viewing forest environments with snow cover and whose psychological relaxation could be measured.

scholarly journals Experiencing Presence in a Gaming Activity Improves Mood After a Negative Mood Induction

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 1-22
Author(s):  
Stefan Weber ◽  
Fred W. Mast ◽  
David Weibel
Keyword(s):  
Computer Games ◽  
Mood Induction ◽  
Positive Emotions ◽  
Negative Mood ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Mood Repair ◽  
Mood Enhancement ◽  
Immersion Condition ◽  
Gaming Activity ◽  
Explicit Measures

Research suggests that immersion in computer games is beneficial for recovering from stress and improving mood. However, no study linked explicit measures of presence—individually experienced immersion—to mood enhancement. In the present experiment, immersion of a gaming activity was varied, and levels of presence and enjoyment were measured and connected to mood repair after a stress-induction. The participants (N = 77) played a game in virtual reality (VR; high immersion), on the desktop (medium immersion), or watched a recording of the game (low immersion). Positive emotions were enhanced in the high and medium, but not the low immersion condition. Presence was a significant predictor in the VR condition. Furthermore, an explanatory mediation analysis showed that enjoyment mediated the effect of presence on mood repair. These findings demonstrate positive effects of presence experiences in gaming. Strong presence in VR seems especially helpful for enhancing mood and building up positive emotional resources.

scholarly journals The Effect of Recreation in a Snow-Covered Forest Environment on the Psychological Relaxation of Young Females

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ernest Bielinis ◽  
Adrian Łukowski ◽  
Aneta Omelan ◽  
Sergii Boiko ◽  
Norimasa Takayama
Keyword(s):  
Snow Cover ◽  
Urban Environment ◽  
Negative Mood ◽  
Forest Environment ◽  
Young Females ◽  
Forest Recreation ◽  
Psychological Indicators ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Indoor Conditions ◽  
Male Subjects

Forest recreation can be successfully conducted for the purpose of psychological relaxation, as has been proven in previous scientific studies. During the winter in many countries, when snow cover occurs frequently, forest recreation (walking, relaxation, photography, etc.) is common. Nevertheless, whether forest therapy conducted in a forest environment with a snow cover will also have a positive effect on psychological indicators remains unknown. Furthermore, male subjects frequently participate in forest therapy experiments, whereas females are rarely involved. Thus, in this study, the effectuality of forest recreation during winter and with snow cover was tested on 32 young females. For these reasons, the experiment involved 15-minute periods of relaxation in a forest environment or in an urban environment, in addition to a pre-test under indoor conditions. Four psychological questionnaires (POMS, PANAS, ROS, SVS) were administered to participants before and after interventions. Results showed that participants’ levels of negative mood, as measured by different aspects of the POMS questionnaire (tension-anxiety, anger-hostility, depression-dejection, confusion, fatigue), decreased after exposure to the forest environment. In contrast, both tension-anxiety and anger-hostility increased in the urban environment. The indicator of negative affect from the PANAS questionnaire also increased after exposure to the urban environment, whereas the indicator of positive affect based on PANAS was higher in the forest environment than in the urban environment. Restorativeness and subjective vitality exhibited higher values after exposure to the forest environment in comparison to those from the control and pre-test. The changes in these indicators demonstrates that forest recreation in the snow during winter can significantly increase psychological relaxation in young females, as well as showing that recreation can be successfully conducted under these winter conditions.

scholarly journals The Effect of Recreation in a Snow-Covered Forest Environment on the Psychological Wellbeing of Young Adults: Randomized Controlled Study

Forests ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 827 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bielinis ◽  
Łukowski ◽  
Omelan ◽  
Boiko ◽  
Takayama ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Negative Affect ◽  
Snow Cover ◽  
Randomized Controlled Study ◽  
Controlled Study ◽  
Subjective Vitality ◽  
Forest Environment ◽  
Urban Street ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Forest Recreation ◽  
Street Environment

Forest recreation can be successfully conducted for the purpose of psychological relaxation, as has been proven in previous scientific studies. During the winter in many countries, when snow cover occurs frequently, forest recreation (walking, relaxation, photography, etc.) is common. Nevertheless, whether forest therapy conducted in a forest environment with a snow cover will also have a positive effect on psychological indicators remains unknown. Furthermore, male subjects frequently participate in forest therapy experiments, whereas females are rarely involved. Thus, in this study, the effectuality of forest recreation during winter and with snow cover was tested on 32 young females. For these reasons, the experiment involved 15 min periods of relaxation in a forest environment or in an urban street environment, in addition to a pre-test under indoor conditions (randomized controlled study). Four psychological questionnaires Profile of Mood States (POMS), Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), Restorative Outcome Scale (ROS), Subjective Vitality Scale (SVS)) were administered to participants before and after interventions. Results showed that participants’ levels of negative mood, as measured by different aspects of the POMS questionnaire (tension/anxiety, anger/hostility, depression/dejection, confusion, and fatigue), decreased after exposure to the forest environment. In contrast, both tension/anxiety and anger/hostility increased in the urban street environment. The indicator of negative affect from the PANAS questionnaire also increased after exposure to the urban street environment, whereas the indicator of positive affect based on PANAS was higher in the forest environment than in the urban street environment. Restorativeness and subjective vitality exhibited higher values after exposure to the forest environment in comparison to those from the control and pre-test. The changes in these indicators demonstrate that forest recreation in the snow during winter can significantly increase psychological relaxation in females, as well as show that recreation can be successfully conducted under these winter conditions.

Positive Emotion in Borderline Personality Disorder

2019 ◽  
pp. 332-352
Author(s):  
Jill M. Hooley ◽  
Sara R. Masland
Keyword(s):  
Borderline Personality Disorder ◽  
Personality Disorder ◽  
Positive Emotions ◽  
Negative Emotions ◽  
Negative Mood ◽  
Severe Form ◽  
Borderline Personality ◽  
Negative Emotionality ◽  
Personality Pathology ◽  
Emotional Experiences

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a severe form of personality pathology characterized by high levels of negative emotionality. Because negative emotions are so central to the clinical presentation of BPD, the issue of how people with this disorder process and experience positive emotional experiences is relatively unexplored. This chapter provides an overview of what is currently known about positive emotions and BPD. Although the literature is characterized by many inconsistencies, our review suggests that people with BPD do indeed experience positive emotions. However, their recall of positive emotional experiences appears to be reduced, perhaps because such experiences are more transient, less stable, and more likely to be quickly replaced by negative emotions. Problems with the identification and accurate differentiation of positive emotions may also play a role. Such difficulties may conspire to create a psychological world for people with BPD that is characterized by a focus on negative mood and negative emotional experiences. In addition to focusing on negative affect, we suggest that it might also be clinically beneficial to make problems with positive affect a specific clinical target.

Inducing Amusement in the Laboratory and Its Moderation by Experiential Approach

2021 ◽  
pp. 003329412110079
Author(s):  
Danette Abernathy ◽  
Robert D. Zettle
Keyword(s):  
Emotion Regulation ◽  
College Student ◽  
Negative Affect ◽  
Regression Models ◽  
Positive Emotion ◽  
Positive Emotions ◽  
Negative Mood ◽  
Relative Ability ◽  
Experiential Approach ◽  
Dispositional Differences

The relative ability of four comedic sketches to induce amusement in the laboratory and its moderation by dispositional differences in experiential approach as a form of positive emotion regulation were investigated. College student participants reported significant and equivalent diminished levels of negative affect relative to baseline following each sketch, while the level of positive affect induced by The Office exceeded that elicited by two of the three other sketches as well as by a top-ranked French comedic film clip. Regression models indicated that the two subscales of the Experiential Approach Scale and their interaction accounted for significant variability in negative mood reductions following the sketches. Unexpectedly, college student participants who enjoyed the greatest decrement in negative affect reported a regulation style in which anxiously clinging to positive emotions dominates over sustaining and savoring them. The limitations of this project and implications of its findings for laboratory inductions of amusement, as well as further investigations of its possible moderation by experiential approach as form of positive emotion regulation are discussed.

scholarly journals Acute Effects of Caffeine Intake on Psychological Responses and High-Intensity Exercise Performance

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 584
Author(s):  
Raúl Domínguez ◽  
Pablo Veiga-Herreros ◽  
Antonio Jesús Sánchez-Oliver ◽  
Juan José Montoya ◽  
Juan José Ramos-Álvarez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Perceived Exertion ◽  
Mood State ◽  
Average Power ◽  
Test Methods ◽  
Wingate Test ◽  
Maximum Power ◽  
Caffeine Intake ◽  
Psychological Responses ◽  
Subjective Vitality ◽  
Positive Effects

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of caffeine supplementation on: (i) psychological responses of subjective vitality and mood; (ii) performance through a Wingate test; and (iii) rate of perceived exertion (RPE) reported after a Wingate test. Methods: Fifteen male participants (22.60 ± 2.16 years) ingested 6 mg·kg-1 of caffeine or placebo (sucrose) supplementation in two experimental sessions. After 60 min from supplement intake, participants fulfilled two questionnaires, which measured subjective vitality and mood state, respectively. Subsequently, participants’ performance was assessed through a Wingate test, which was followed by measurements of RPE at general, muscular, or cardiovascular level. Results: Caffeine supplementation increased some components of mood, as assessed by profile of mood states (POMS) (tension and vigor dimensions) and subjective vitality profiles, which were followed by a greater maximum power, average power, and lower time needed to reach maximum power during the Wingate test. Moreover, lower RPE, both at muscular and general levels were reported by participants after the Wingate test. Conclusions: These results suggest that caffeine supplementation exerts positive effects both in psychological and physical domains in trained subjects.

scholarly journals A Pragmatic Controlled Trial of Forest Bathing Compared with Compassionate Mind Training in the UK: Impacts on Self-Reported Wellbeing and Heart Rate Variability

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 1380
Author(s):  
Kirsten McEwan ◽  
David Giles ◽  
Fiona J. Clarke ◽  
Yasu Kotera ◽  
Gary Evans ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
Heart Rate Variability ◽  
Positive Emotions ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Increase Heart Rate ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
Forest Bathing ◽  
Mind Training

Forest Bathing, where individuals use mindfulness to engage with nature, has been reported to increase heart rate variability and benefit wellbeing. To date, most Forest Bathing studies have been conducted in Asia. Accordingly, this paper reports the first pragmatic controlled trial of Forest Bathing in the United Kingdom, comparing Forest Bathing with a control comprising an established wellbeing intervention also known to increase heart rate variability called Compassionate Mind Training. Sixty-one university staff and students (50 females, 11 males) were allocated to (i) Forest Bathing, (ii) Compassionate Mind Training or (iii) Forest Bathing combined with Compassionate Mind Training. Wellbeing and heart rate variability were measured at baseline, post-intervention and three-months follow-up. There were improvements in positive emotions, mood disturbance, rumination, nature connection and compassion and 57% of participants showed an increase in heart rate variability. There were no significant differences between conditions, showing that Forest Bathing had equivalence with an established wellbeing intervention. The findings will help healthcare providers and policy makers to understand the effects of Forest Bathing and implement it as a feasible social prescription to improve wellbeing. Future research needs to involve clinical populations and to assess the effects of Forest Bathing in a fully powered randomised controlled trial.

scholarly journals Negative mood affects the expression of negative but not positive emotions in mice

2020 ◽  
Vol 287 (1933) ◽  
pp. 20201636
Author(s):  
Jasmine M. Clarkson ◽  
Matthew C. Leach ◽  
Paul A. Flecknell ◽  
Candy Rowe
Keyword(s):  
Animal Welfare ◽  
Evolutionary Biology ◽  
Positive Emotions ◽  
Mood State ◽  
Negative Emotion ◽  
Negative Emotions ◽  
Negative Mood ◽  
Cumulative Effect ◽  
Laboratory Animals ◽  
Negative Events

Whether and to what extent animals experience emotions is crucial for understanding their decisions and behaviour, and underpins a range of scientific fields, including animal behaviour, neuroscience, evolutionary biology and animal welfare science. However, research has predominantly focused on alleviating negative emotions in animals, with the expression of positive emotions left largely unexplored. Therefore, little is known about positive emotions in animals and how their expression is mediated. We used tail handling to induce a negative mood in laboratory mice and found that while being more anxious and depressed increased their expression of a discrete negative emotion (disappointment), meaning that they were less resilient to negative events, their capacity to express a discrete positive emotion (elation) was unaffected relative to control mice. Therefore, we show not only that mice have discrete positive emotions, but that they do so regardless of their current mood state. Our findings are the first to suggest that the expression of discrete positive and negative emotions in animals is not equally affected by long-term mood state. Our results also demonstrate that repeated negative events can have a cumulative effect to reduce resilience in laboratory animals, which has significant implications for animal welfare.

Effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Group Intervention on Acculturation

2016 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 68-79 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jia-Yan Pan ◽  
Petrus Ng ◽  
Daniel Kim-Wan Young ◽  
Schoepf Caroline
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Hong Kong ◽  
Psychological Distress ◽  
University Students ◽  
Acculturative Stress ◽  
Group Intervention ◽  
Positive Emotions ◽  
Cognitive Behavioral ◽  
Positive Effects

Objective: This study examined the effectiveness of group cognitive behavioral intervention (CBI) in improving mental health and promoting postmigration growth for Mainland university students in Hong Kong. Methods: Thirty-six Mainland students with mild-to-moderate levels of psychological distress have completed a 8-session CBI group. Various mental health measures have been administered at the pre-, post-, and 3-month follow-up tests. Results: The levels of psychological distress, acculturative stress, and negative emotions and negative thoughts of the participants were significantly reduced, while their positive emotions and postmigration growth were significantly increased upon completion of the CBI group. The positive effects were maintained at 3-month follow-up. Conclusions: CBI group appears to be an effective intervention approach for improving the mental health and promoting postmigration growth for Mainland university students in Hong Kong. Implications for social work practices when engaging with Chinese international students were provided.

Displays of emotion and citizen support for Merkel and Gysi

2017 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 80-103 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oscar W. Gabriel ◽  
Lena Masch
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Positive Emotions ◽  
Individual Recognition ◽  
Negative Emotions ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
The United States ◽  
Political Support ◽  
The Public ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
The Impact

Emotional appeals have always been an important instrument in the mobilization of political support in modern societies. As found in several experimental studies from the United States, the emotions displayed by leading politicians in their televised public appearances have an impact on the political attitudes and behaviors of the public. Positive emotions such as joy or happiness, pride, and amusement elicit a more positive assessment of politicians, whereas showing negative emotions such as anger or outrage often diminishes the public’s support. This transfer of emotions from sender to recipient has been described as “emotional contagion.” However, under specific circumstances, emotions expressed by politicians can result in counter-empathic reactions among recipients. To examine the role of emotions between political leaders and the public in an institutional and cultural setting outside the United States, this article presents experimental findings on the impact of emotions expressed by two leading German politicians on the German public. The study used emotional displays by Chancellor Angela Merkel and former parliamentary leader of the Left Party, Gregor Gysi, observing how their assessments by the German public changed in response to these displays. Consistent with existing research, we discovered positive effects on the evaluation of both politicians when they displayed positive emotions. However, the impact of negative emotions is different for Merkel and Gysi and can be described as contagion in the former and counter-contagion in the latter case. Furthermore, we found that individual recognition of the expressed emotions modified the effect they had on the evaluation of some leadership characteristics.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document