this just in from the Mother Nature Network:
NATURALLY NICE: Spending time in nature has already been shown to have healing
powers - it can reduce stress, improve mood and even helps some hospital
patients recover more quickly. But a series of new studies by University of
Rochesterpsychologists takes the benefits even further, suggesting Mother
Nature not only helps us feel better, but may also influence our subconscious
priorities and make us "more caring." Participants in three of the studies were
shown slideshows of either natural or human-made environments, while those in
the fourth were assigned to work in a lab that was either full or devoid of
plants. Afterward, some answered a series of questions about their life
aspirations while others took tests of their generosity. The people exposed to
nature put a higher value on "intrinsic aspirations," such as helping others or
forming meaningful relationships, than on "extrinsic" ones like making money or
becoming famous. And in the generosity
tests, the nature group was more likely to share their wealth with others than
horde it for themselves. The researchers say this may be because nature makes
us feel more connected to the biological whole rather than feeling isolated in
our individual selves. "Nature in a way strips away the artifices of society
that alienate us from one another," explains one of the studies' co-authors.
(Source: Scientific American)
_______________________________________________
For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area, please
visit: http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/
RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for:
[email protected]
http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins
Questions about the list? ask [email protected]
free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org
