Engaging the Brain: The Impact of Natural versus Urban Scenes Using Novel EEG Methods in an Experimental Setting

By Jenny Roe. 2013

142 citations recorded by the source corpus.

Abstract Background Researchers in environmental psychology have consistently shown the restorative potential of natural – over urban - settings using video/photographic experiments in laboratory settings applying subjectively rated scales. But few studies have employed objective indicators of emotional response. This study investigates the use of electroencephalography (EEG) as a method to understand how the brain engages with natural versus ( vs ) urban settings – in tandem with subjective preferences. Methods Using Emotiv EPOC, a commercial and low-cost EEG recorder, participants (n=20) viewed a series of urban vs landscape scenes with proven reliability in restorative environments research. The equipment provided continuous recordings from 5 channels, labelled Excitement; Frustration; Engagement; Long Term (LT) Excitement (or arousal) and Meditation. Participants also rated the image set subjectively for valence (pleasure-displeasure), arousal (calm-excitement), attractiveness and willingness to visit the scene.

Subfields: Experimental and Cognitive Psychology, Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis, Sensory Systems

View Paper: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/dd5ecb5c43953bd3d4282f0ebcdeb5195da2d358

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In Experimental and Cognitive Psychology

In Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis

In Sensory Systems

Citations in the corpus

Nature Contact and Human Health: A Research Agenda (2017, methodology): “These measures include stress indicators such as cortisol, amylase, and skin conductance (Beil and Hanes 2013; Jiang et al. 2014; JJ Roe et al. 2013); measures of brain activity including novel EEG methods (Aspinall et al. 2015; J Roe et al. 2013; Tilley et al. 2017) and functional brain imaging…”
Exposure to Neighborhood Green Space and Mental Health: Evidence from the Survey of the Health of Wisconsin (2014, unknown): “Recent research has linked green space directly to biomarkers of stress and attention—diurnal variation of salivary cortisol [8,10] and brain waves as measured by portable EEG devices [9,31]—suggesting a biologically plausible link between exposure to green space and reduction of stress and mental f”
Brain activity, underlying mood and the environment: A systematic review (2019, methodology): “EEG results established that urban images were correlated with the arousal group while landscape scenes correlated with the interest group and high meditation (Roe et al., 2013).”