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Six frameworks provide perspective into biodiversity and mental well-being relationships.
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There is no single framework to describe biodiversity and mental well-being relationships.
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Further research is needed to test these frameworks using biodiverse environments or stimuli.
7.1 Introduction
7.2 Environmental Preference
7.2.1 Aesthetic Model of Preferences
7.2.2 Preference Matrix
Informational needs | ||
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Level of interpretation
| Understanding | Exploration |
Immediate | Coherence | Complexity |
Inferred, predicted | Legibility | Mystery |
7.2.2.1 Connection to Biodiversity in the Preference Matrix
7.2.3 Fractal Geometry and Visual Fluency
7.2.3.1 Connection to Biodiversity with Fractals
7.2.3.2 Fractal Dimension and Preference
7.2.3.3 Fractal Dimension and Restorative Outcomes
7.2.4 Biophilia Hypothesis
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Humans have an innate, emotional connection to life and life-like processes
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This affinity motivates contact with animals, plants and natural landscapes
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Emphasises positive responses to nature, manifest as preference for nature
7.2.4.1 Connection to Biodiversity in the Biophilia Hypothesis
7.3 Theories of Restorative Environments
7.3.1 Stress Reduction Theory (SRT)
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Natural environments benefit health by faciliating recovery from stress
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Stress recovery is manifest as reduced physiological arousal, psychological stress and negative affect, and enhanced positive affect
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Visual characteristics of restorative environments are: moderate complexity; moderate depth; a focal point; deflected vistas (e.g. path bending away); a ground surface conducive for movement; lack of threat; and water
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Biodiversity is considered to be a measure of an environment’s complexity
7.3.1.1 Connection to Biodiversity in the SRT
7.3.2 Attention Restoration Theory (ART)
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The ability to direct attention is an executive cognitive function that can become fatigued through overuse.
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The inability to concentrate or focus attention is a sign of directed attention fatigue.
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Restoration from directed attention fatigue requires an individual to experience a sense of being away, fascination, coherence and compatibility in a specific environment.
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Natural environments tend to afford an experience of these four restorative qualities.
7.3.2.1 Connection to Biodiversity in the ART
7.4 Ecosystem Services Cascade Model
7.4.1 Connection to Health and Well-being in the Ecosystem Service Cascade Model
7.5 Discussion
Framework | Description | Biodiversity conceptualisation | Mental well-being conceptualisation | Mediating pathways |
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Preference Matrix | Preferences for environments are based on information the environment provides | Four information qualities in a landscape are: complexity; coherence; legibility; and mystery. Biodiversity is implicitly considered as a measure of an environment’s complexity, which refers to the ‘richness’ of a visual scene | Preference, or liking, for a specific environment or landscape | Informational needs of understanding and exploration |
Fractal Geometry | Shapes, processes or systems that contain repeating patterns that are reduced-size copies of the whole | Natural phenomena, such as coastlines, rivers, trees, leaves and snowflakes, are fractal. Fractals have been used to determine biodiversity of an environment | Preference for, or liking, a specific visual landscape | Perceptual fluency – the ease with which a specific visual stimulus is perceptually processed. Fractals contain redundant information, due to their self-similar repeating patterns, which could contribute to the experience of easy perceptual processing by the brain |
Biophilia Hypothesis | Humans have an innate, emotional connection to life and life-like processes, which motivates contact with animals, plants and natural landscapes | Posits that biodiversity and certain landscapes engender optimal human functioning. Does not specify which species or landscape types are best for Biophilia. | Preference for animals, plants or environments | Learning theory |
Stress Reduction Theory (SRT) | Environments facilitate recovery from physiological arousal and psychological stress | Restorative environments are characterised by visual characteristics: moderate complexity; moderate depth; a focal point; deflected vistas (e.g. path bending away); a ground surface conducive for movement; lack of threat; and water. Biodiversity is considered to be a measure of an environment’s complexity | Reduced physiological arousal, psychological stress and reduced negative affect, and enhanced positive affect | Autonomic nervous system |
Attention Restoration Theory (ART) | Person-environment transactions in environments facilitate restoration from directed attention fatigue | A restorative environment is one that requires little cognitive effort. Natural environments are more likely to permit and promote restoration. Biodiversity is not explicitly considered | Ability to concentrate or direct attention. This is an executive cognitive function, required to process information, and inhibit and plan behaviour and problem solving | Experiential qualities between the person and the environment will help restore directed attention: fascination; coherence; compatibility and; being away |
Ecosystem Service Cascade | Model details the links between biodiversity and human values through ecosystem services | Any biophysical structure or process. But biodiversity can also be part of an ecosystem function and ecosystem service | Ecosystem service benefit is described as “something that directly impacts on the welfare of people” | Ecosystem functions and ecosystem services |