Directed attention plays a significant role in information processing; its fatigue, however, has far-reaching consequences. Very simply, directed attention fatigue can be explained as the typical state of mind students feel towards the end of the semester – mentally exhausted (just like how I am right now! Haha :P) Developed and popularized by Stephen and Rachel Kaplan in 1989, the Attention Restoration Theory (ART) posits that exposure to nature improves one’s ability to focus on tasks at hand. ART hypothesizes that nature has restorative values and can rejuvenate an individual after one has exerted mental energy and is exhausted with happenings in life.
Over the years, studies have discovered credible information that supports Kaplan & Kaplan’s ART theory of nature being able to restore attention and improve cognitive performance. In a recent study, participants sat through a sustained attention test which required prolonged mental effort. This eventually gave rise to directed attention fatigue. Subsequently, subjects were exposed to photographs of restorative environments (nature), non-restorative environments or geometric patterns. They were then made to complete the attention task again after viewing the photos they had been assigned. Individuals who saw images of restorative environments saw improved performance on the task while the others did not.
If you are a student, look out (literally!)
In another study involving students who are attending college, those who are exposed to campus settings that are restorative (it can be as simple as looking out of the window!) returned to their work cognitively refreshed and recharged. It is thus evident that immersing yourself in green spaces aids in cognitive performance.
Surprisingly, children with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), which is characterized by short attention spans, distractibility and poor working memory, also benefit greatly from unstructured play and exposure to green spaces! Parents reported observations of less severe symptoms after activities in green settings, demonstrating how contact with nature supports attentional functioning for children who need a little extra help in that arena.
In Singapore, ART can be attributed to new housing property having to integrate biophilic elements into their designs. In 2013, the Housing Development Board (HDB) developed a Biophilic Town Framework to guide the enhancement of existing natural assets and the development of residential landscapes that promote a greater sense of place, better health and well-being, and enhanced the quality of life for residents. Being in and around greenery really does being about a lot of benefits, let’s move on to find out more!
(Up next: Social Cohesion)