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The Prefrontal Cortex Activity and Psychological Effects of Viewing Forest Landscapes in Autumn Season

Author

Listed:
  • Dawou Joung

    (Department of Environment and Forest Resources, Chungnam National University, 99 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-764, Korea)

  • Geonwoo Kim

    (Department of Environment and Forest Resources, Chungnam National University, 99 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-764, Korea)

  • Yoonho Choi

    (Department of Environment and Forest Resources, Chungnam National University, 99 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-764, Korea)

  • HyoJin Lim

    (Department of Applied Biology, Chungnam National University, 99 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-764, Korea)

  • Soonjoo Park

    (Department of Nursing, Eulji University, Daejeon 301-746, Korea)

  • Jong-Min Woo

    (Department of Psychiatry, Seoul Paik Hospital, Inje University, School of Medicine, Seoul 100-032, Korea
    Stress Research Institute, Inje University, Seoul 100-032, Korea)

  • Bum-Jin Park

    (Department of Environment and Forest Resources, Chungnam National University, 99 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-764, Korea)

Abstract

Recently reported research indicate that forest environments have physiological and psychological relaxing effects compared to urban environments. However, some researchers claim that the stress of the subjects from being watched by others during measurements can affect the measurement result in urban experiments conducted in the center of a street. The present study was conducted to determine whether forest environments have physiological and psychological relaxing effects, using comparison of viewing a forest area with viewing an urban area from the roof of an urban building without being watched by others. Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) measurement was performed on subjects while they viewed scenery for 15 min at each experimental site (urban and forest areas). Subjective assessments were performed after the NIRS measurement was complete. Total hemoglobin and oxyhemoglobin concentrations were significantly lower in the forest area than in the urban area. For semantic differential in subjective assessments, feelings of “comfortable”, “natural”, and “soothed” were significantly higher in the forest area than in the urban area, and for profile of mood states, negative emotions were significantly lower in the forest area than in the urban area. The results of physiological and psychological measurements show that viewing the forest enabled effective relaxation.

Suggested Citation

  • Dawou Joung & Geonwoo Kim & Yoonho Choi & HyoJin Lim & Soonjoo Park & Jong-Min Woo & Bum-Jin Park, 2015. "The Prefrontal Cortex Activity and Psychological Effects of Viewing Forest Landscapes in Autumn Season," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-9, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:12:y:2015:i:7:p:7235-7243:d:51744
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Xiaobo Wang & Yaxing Shi & Bo Zhang & Yencheng Chiang, 2019. "The Influence of Forest Resting Environments on Stress Using Virtual Reality," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(18), pages 1-20, September.
    2. Dawou Joung & Bum-Jin Park & Shinkwang Kang, 2022. "Quality of Life and Mental Health Benefits of Public Participation in Forest Conservation Activities in Urban Areas," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(15), pages 1-14, August.
    3. Emad Alyan & Theo Combe & Dayang Rohaya Awang Rambli & Suziah Sulaiman & Frederic Merienne & Nadia Diyana Mohd Muhaiyuddin, 2021. "The Influence of Virtual Forest Walk on Physiological and Psychological Responses," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(21), pages 1-12, October.
    4. Kathleen L. Wolf & Sharon T. Lam & Jennifer K. McKeen & Gregory R.A. Richardson & Matilda van den Bosch & Adrina C. Bardekjian, 2020. "Urban Trees and Human Health: A Scoping Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(12), pages 1-30, June.
    5. Agnieszka Olszewska-Guizzo & Ayako Mukoyama & Sho Naganawa & Ippeita Dan & Syeda Fabeha Husain & Cyrus S. Ho & Roger Ho, 2021. "Hemodynamic Response to Three Types of Urban Spaces before and after Lockdown during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(11), pages 1-12, June.
    6. Albert Bach Pagès & Josep Peñuelas & Jana Clarà & Joan Llusià & Ferran Campillo i López & Roser Maneja, 2020. "How Should Forests Be Characterized in Regard to Human Health? Evidence from Existing Literature," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(3), pages 1-15, February.
    7. Chia-Pin Yu & Chia-Min Lin & Ming-Jer Tsai & Yu-Chieh Tsai & Chun-Yu Chen, 2017. "Effects of Short Forest Bathing Program on Autonomic Nervous System Activity and Mood States in Middle-Aged and Elderly Individuals," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-12, August.
    8. Geonwoo Kim & Sujin Park & Dooahn Kwak, 2020. "Is It Possible to Predict the Concentration of Natural Volatile Organic Compounds in Forest Atmosphere?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(21), pages 1-12, October.
    9. Dawou Joung & Bohwi Lee & Jeongdo Lee & Changjun Lee & Seungmo Koo & Changwon Park & Sebin Kim & Takahide Kagawa & Bum-Jin Park, 2020. "Measures to Promote Rural Healthcare Tourism with a Scientific Evidence-Based Approach," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(9), pages 1-13, May.
    10. Jin-Woo Han & Han Choi & Yo-Han Jeon & Chong-Hyeon Yoon & Jong-Min Woo & Won Kim, 2016. "The Effects of Forest Therapy on Coping with Chronic Widespread Pain: Physiological and Psychological Differences between Participants in a Forest Therapy Program and a Control Group," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-13, February.
    11. Hiromi Suenaga & Kanako Murakami & Nozomi Murata & Syoriki Nishikawa & Masae Tsutsumi & Hiroshi Nogaki, 2020. "The Effects of an Artificial Garden on Heart Rate Variability among Healthy Young Japanese Adults," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(24), pages 1-10, December.
    12. Rikuto Yamashita & Chong Chen & Toshio Matsubara & Kosuke Hagiwara & Masato Inamura & Kohei Aga & Masako Hirotsu & Tomoe Seki & Akiyo Takao & Erika Nakagawa & Ayumi Kobayashi & Yuko Fujii & Keiko Hira, 2021. "The Mood-Improving Effect of Viewing Images of Nature and Its Neural Substrate," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(10), pages 1-11, May.
    13. Chorong Song & Harumi Ikei & Yoshifumi Miyazaki, 2018. "Physiological Effects of Visual Stimulation with Forest Imagery," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-11, January.
    14. Bingyang Lyu & Chengcheng Zeng & Shouhong Xie & Di Li & Wei Lin & Nian Li & Mingyan Jiang & Shiliang Liu & Qibing Chen, 2019. "Benefits of A Three-Day Bamboo Forest Therapy Session on the Psychophysiology and Immune System Responses of Male College Students," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(24), pages 1-18, December.
    15. Cleo Valentine, 2023. "Architectural Allostatic Overloading: Exploring a Connection between Architectural Form and Allostatic Overloading," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(9), pages 1-14, April.
    16. Margaret M. Hansen & Reo Jones & Kirsten Tocchini, 2017. "Shinrin-Yoku (Forest Bathing) and Nature Therapy: A State-of-the-Art Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-48, July.

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