Perceived Restorativeness and Restorative Outcomes: A Comparative Study of Diverse Environments in Urban and Natural Settings

Abstract

Natural environments are generally considered more restorative than urban ones, with various elements contributing to their restorative potential. This research investigates restoration in urban and natural environments using virtual reality and field studies. In particular, I examined urban and natural environments with both high and low restorative potential. Additionally, this research explores if participants can effectively evaluate an environment’s restorativeness based solely on the environment’s visual aspects. Across studies, restoration was assessed using subjective and objective measures of stress, attention, and affect. Results demonstrated that the natural environments did not consistently outperform the urban environments on restorative outcomes. Indeed, there were some indications that urban environments could also be restorative. Finally, participants’ predictions of restorative potential did not align with the restorative measures, indicating a gap between perceived restorative potential and actual restorative outcomes. Overall, the findings indicate that environmental restorativeness is complex, and not all urban or natural environments offer the same level of restoration. Further research is needed to understand the specific elements that contribute to an environment’s restorative potential.