Exercise Effects and Biophilia

Zhang and colleagues learned that “Physical activity performed in a natural environment, especially among green spaces, is associated with mental health benefits. . . . [study participants] engaged in incremental cycling exercise at a moderate intensity while viewing an image in front of them on a large screen. Participants were randomly assigned to one of four groups in which the image they viewed was a green tree, an achromatic tree, a formless color green, or a formless achromatic color. . . .  scores in total mood disturbance decreased and scores in the esteem subscale and self-esteem scale increased after cycling while viewing trees. . . . anger decreased in the two green color conditions. . . .  a significant decrease in response times on the attention task [was found] after cycling among participants who viewed the green tree.”

Danxuan Zhang, Xinhong Jin, Luning Wang, and Yahong Jin.  “Form and Color Visual Perception in Green Exercise:  Positive Effects on Attention, Mood, and Self-Esteem.”  Journal of Environmental Psychology, in press, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2023.102028