A recent study conducted on a group of students as they walked through different urban settings in Edinburgh, Scotland, has provided quantifiable evidence that the brain operates in a more meditative state when surrounded by nature. We’ve had philosophers try to tell us that nature is calming and peaceful, but with the use of mobile EEG scans of students’ brains, we can now see the proof.
The results showed that in more urban areas, where social interaction was more frequent, excitement in the brain remained high. But moving into a park “produced a greater mental change than leaving the park, indicating lingering mental benefits of natural surroundings.”
Even more exciting is the news that the team of scientists working on this study has just received a grant for $2 million to continue their research on older subjects. These studies will have a profound impact on the field of environmental psychology, which helps us evaluate how people perceive and interact with their surroundings.
>> Learn more about the study here.
