title: Emotional, restorative and vitalizing effects of forest and urban environments at four sites in Japan.
abstract: The present study investigated the well-being effects of short-term forest walking and viewing ("forest bathing"). The hypothesis in our study was that both environment (forest vs. urban) and activity (walking and viewing) would influence psychological outcomes. An additional aim was to enhance basic research using several psychological methods. We conducted the experiments using 45 respondents in four areas of Japan from August to September, 2011. The hypothesis in our study was supported, because significant interaction terms between the environment and activity were confirmed regarding the Profile of Mood States (POMS) indexes, Restorative Outcome Scale (ROS) and Subjective Vitality Scale (SVS). No statistical differences between the two experimental groups in any of the ten scales were found before the experiment. However, feelings of vigor and positive effects, as well as feelings of subjective recovery and vitality were stronger in the forest environment than in the urban environment.
authors.affiliation: Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, 1 Matsunosato, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8687, Japan. hanri@ffpri.affrc.go.jp.
authors.forename: Norimasa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Takayama
authors.affiliation: School of Social Sciences and Humanities, University of Tampere, Kalevantie 4, Tampere FI-33104, Finland. Kalevi.Korpela@uta.fi.
authors.forename: Kalevi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Korpela
authors.affiliation: Korea Forest Service, Government Complex 1, 189 Cheongsa-ro, Seo-gu, Daejeon 302-701, Korea. lohawi@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Juyoung
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, 1 Matsunosato, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8687, Japan. tmorik@ffpri.affrc.go.jp.
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Morikawa
authors.affiliation: Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, 1 Matsunosato, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8687, Japan. yukot@ffpri.affrc.go.jp.
authors.forename: Yuko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tsunetsugu
authors.affiliation: College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Chungnam National University, 99 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu Daejeon 305-764, Korea. bjpark@cnu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Bum-Jin
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Hygiene and Public Health, Nippon Medical School, 1-1-5 Sendagi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8602, Japan. qing-li@nms.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Finnish Forest Research Institute (METLA), PO Box 18 (Jokiniemenkuja 1), Vantaa FI-01301, Finland. liisa.tyrvainen@metla.fi.
authors.forename: Liisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tyrväinen
authors.affiliation: Center for Environment, Health and Field Sciences, Chiba University, 6-2-1 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-0882, Japan. ymiyazaki@faculty.chiba-u.jp.
authors.forename: Yoshifumi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Miyazaki
authors.affiliation: Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, 1 Matsunosato, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8687, Japan. kagawa@ffpri.affrc.go.jp.
authors.forename: Takahide
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kagawa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002947:Cities; D004644:Emotions; D004777:Environment; D065928:Forests; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D011581:Psychological Tests; D016138:Walking / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult