Cities, Green, and In-Between

: Challenging the Nature versus Urban Dichotomy in Psychological Thinking

Abstract

Nature environments are generally thought to be psychologically more restorative (e.g. require fewer cognitive and attentional resources) than urban environments, with most literature arguing that nature possesses fundamentally different and beneficial qualities compared to the built environment. However, despite a wealth of literature seeking to detect psychological and physiological differences between nature and urban environments, comparably little research has explored what it actually is in an environment (e.g. sensory features, aesthetic experiences, attention) that might drive its beneficial or detrimental impact on behaviour. The overarching aim of this thesis was to tackle this question from a new angle, exploring whether nature and urban environments are qualitatively different or if other factors underlie any observed cognitive differences. Across nine experiments, the role of basis image statistics, perceptual evaluations (liking, fascination and visual discomfort) and semantic factors were investigated in relation to cognitive costs and benefits posed by nature and urban scenes. Firstly, in two experiments using spatial multi-arrangement methodology and representational similarity analysis I established that liking, fascination and visual discomfort of nature and urban environments appear to lie on a continuum across environments, and that these factors are thus not related to dichotomous environmental categorisation as often assumed. The subsequent six studies explored the role of low-level visual information in nature and built environments upon objective attentional outcomes (reaction times and eye-gaze behaviour). Findings highlight that initial attention allocation between nature and urban environments differs only when the gist of the scene remains intact. Yet, when participants are asked to take decisions on which environment they prefer (out of the two simultaneously present), liking rather than environment type determines behaviour. Findings allow me to reject the idea that there is a qualitative/categorical difference between nature and urban built environments, at least in the visual domain, that affects cognitive performance. Future research in this field should aspire to explore other potential mechanisms underlying environmental benefits. The thesis will finish with tentative suggestions on the implications of the findings presented here for real-world contexts and the design of the natural and urban spaces we inhabit.

Date of Award	18 Mar 2025
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	University of Bristol
Supervisor	Ute B Leonards (Supervisor) & Jasmina Stevanov (Supervisor)