Nature Pictures for a Restorative School Environment – Effects of Nature Pictures on Pupils’ Cognitive and Psychological Functions
(2019) PSYP01 20191Department of Psychology
- Abstract
- Pupils tend to experience ‘attentional fatigue’ after persistently demanding their attentional system during school hours, resulting in decreased psychological well-being and a lack of attention, along with losses of other cognitive functions. Previous research found natural elements in a school environment to restore pupils’ depleted attentional system. The present
study aimed at investigating nature pictures as a restorative source in a classroom setting. Hereby, it was hypothesized that primary school students perceive nature pictures as more restorative than pictures of urban environments. It was further hypothesized that following the presentation of nature pictures, pupils show better cognitive performance and psychological
... (More) - Pupils tend to experience ‘attentional fatigue’ after persistently demanding their attentional system during school hours, resulting in decreased psychological well-being and a lack of attention, along with losses of other cognitive functions. Previous research found natural elements in a school environment to restore pupils’ depleted attentional system. The present
study aimed at investigating nature pictures as a restorative source in a classroom setting. Hereby, it was hypothesized that primary school students perceive nature pictures as more restorative than pictures of urban environments. It was further hypothesized that following the presentation of nature pictures, pupils show better cognitive performance and psychological
well-being than after the exposure to pictures of built environments. To account for potential sex differences, it was additionally hypothesized that perceived restoration as well as
cognitive and psychological benefits following the presentation of nature pictures differs in girls and boys. In total, 40 German primary school pupils attending second to fourth grade
completed tasks assessing directed attention and momentary mood state following the presentation of pictures, whereas perceived restoration was measured during the exposure to
pictures. The results support that pupils perceived nature pictures as more restorative than of urban environments. However, contrary to expectations, measurements of pupils’ directed
attention and momentary mood state did not significantly differ after the exposure to pictures of nature and urban environments. Also, proposed sex differences were not detected. Hence, in the present study, pictures of nature did not function as an indoor source of an immediate restorative experience in a school context. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/8996742
- author
- Kabitzsch, Pia LU
- supervisor
-
- Sofia Bunke LU
- Elia Psouni LU
- organization
- course
- PSYP01 20191
- year
- 2019
- type
- H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
- subject
- keywords
- nature pictures, school environment, classroom environment, Attention Restoration Theory, restoration, directed attention, psychological well-being, sex differences
- language
- English
- id
- 8996742
- date added to LUP
- 2019-10-17 11:05:32
- date last changed
- 2019-10-17 11:05:32
@misc{8996742,
abstract = {{Pupils tend to experience ‘attentional fatigue’ after persistently demanding their attentional system during school hours, resulting in decreased psychological well-being and a lack of attention, along with losses of other cognitive functions. Previous research found natural elements in a school environment to restore pupils’ depleted attentional system. The present
study aimed at investigating nature pictures as a restorative source in a classroom setting. Hereby, it was hypothesized that primary school students perceive nature pictures as more restorative than pictures of urban environments. It was further hypothesized that following the presentation of nature pictures, pupils show better cognitive performance and psychological
well-being than after the exposure to pictures of built environments. To account for potential sex differences, it was additionally hypothesized that perceived restoration as well as
cognitive and psychological benefits following the presentation of nature pictures differs in girls and boys. In total, 40 German primary school pupils attending second to fourth grade
completed tasks assessing directed attention and momentary mood state following the presentation of pictures, whereas perceived restoration was measured during the exposure to
pictures. The results support that pupils perceived nature pictures as more restorative than of urban environments. However, contrary to expectations, measurements of pupils’ directed
attention and momentary mood state did not significantly differ after the exposure to pictures of nature and urban environments. Also, proposed sex differences were not detected. Hence, in the present study, pictures of nature did not function as an indoor source of an immediate restorative experience in a school context.}},
author = {{Kabitzsch, Pia}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{Nature Pictures for a Restorative School Environment – Effects of Nature Pictures on Pupils’ Cognitive and Psychological Functions}},
year = {{2019}},
}