The empowering variability of affordances of nature: Why do exercisers feel better after performing the same exercise in natural environments than in indoor environments?

Araújo, Duarte; Brymer, Eric; Brito, Henrique; Withagen, Rob; Davids, Keith

doi:10.1016/j.psychsport.2018.12.020

Cited by 113 publications

(75 citation statements)

References 80 publications

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“…Conceptually, a form of life that focuses on the realization of affordances, without considering the effect of these affordances on health and wellbeing, might conceivably construct an environment where broader health and wellbeing affordances are depleted. Ecological dynamics predicts that a landscape of nature affordances, lived by a population as their form of life, contributes to increased health and wellbeing, given the embedded and embodied experiences provided by activities in the natural environment according to each individual's characteristics (Araújo et al, 2019a).…”

Section: An Overview Of Ecological Dynamicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As a consequence, there is an increased interest in how to design nature-based activities and environments to enhance human and planetary health and wellbeing ( Brymer et al, 2014 ; Brymer and Davids, 2016 ; Davids et al, 2016 ; Yeh et al, 2016,2017 ; Houge Mackenzie and Brymer, 2018 ). Despite the extensive practical work and empirical research demonstrating the positive relationship between experiences with nature and enhanced health and wellbeing, the conceptual and theoretical underpinnings of how person-natural environment relations can support health and wellbeing is limited ( Bowler et al, 2010 ; Brymer et al, 2014 ; Brymer and Davids, 2016 ; Araújo et al, 2019a ). Here, we argue that, for the most part, this deficit has emerged because traditional theoretical perspectives view nature and people as distinct and separate entities ( Heft, 2012 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Conceptualizing the Human Health Outcomes of Acting in Natural Environments: An Ecological Perspective

et al. 2020

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Human-nature interactions have been presented as important for promoting and sustaining wellbeing and health benefits. Research has shown that pictures of nature, interacting with nature, physical activity in nature, immersion in nature and even feeling connected to nature can improve health. While considerable research supports this notion that nature can have positive health impact, theoretical and conceptual frameworks that help explain how the natural environment provides benefits to human health and wellbeing have proved limited. In extreme cases, theoretical approaches reinforce a problematic notion where nature is viewed as a separate entity, as a treatment to be taken as prescribed to remediate health problems that arise. Such approaches are limited as they fail to address how beneficial person-nature relations may be captured in interventions. There is a need for a deeper understanding of the processes underlying the observed benefits of the person-nature link in order to design effective research and interventions. It is especially important to consider the implications of research on person-nature relations for people living in urban contexts. In this paper, we present an ecological perspective building on James Gibson's conceptualization of human behavior. Specifically, we outline a framework that emphasizes the personenvironment system as the most appropriate scale of analysis. We present three relevant concepts from the ecological approach: form of life, affordances and niche construction, as helpful for appreciating how acting in natural environments might benefit human health and wellbeing. This approach urges policy makers and urban designers to rethink environmental designs to provide and support a landscape of affordances that makes use of the richness of natural environments.

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Section: An Overview Of Ecological Dynamicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Conceptualizing the Human Health Outcomes of Acting in Natural Environments: An Ecological Perspective

et al. 2020

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“…The Ecological Dynamics (ED) framework provides a timely alternative to addressing the many points raised so far in a manner that suits twenty-first century living [66][67][68][69][70] by building on the foundations established through McKenzie's six elements. From an ED perspective, the environment is much more than the conduit through which activities take place, and "decontextualized activity-based programmes" [71] (p. 9) are limited in their capacity to facilitate desired outcomes.…”

Section: Building On the Foundations Of Mckenzie's Workmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In ED, perception is an active process [66], and this is crucial in understanding its dynamic transactional nature with other systems [80]. Importantly, the environment is conceptualized as both social and physical, and "experiencing the environment is not mental and subjective but understood relationally" [66]. The size, experiences, history and so on of the individual, combined with the opportunities in the environment, guide learning.…”

Section: Constraintsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The team development activity sites are carefully chosen in beautiful settings with rich opportunities for action invited by surrounding lakes, rivers and mountains. Beneficial transactions occur in the natural environment [66]. More specifically, health and wellbeing benefits have been reported, such as stress relief [91] and increased concentration [92].…”

Section: Responding To Individual Needsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Reconsidering McKenzie’s Six Adventure Education Programming Elements Using an Ecological Dynamics Lens and Its Implications for Health and Wellbeing

King

Hardwell

Brymer

et al. 2020

Sports

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Two decades ago, McKenzie's meta-analysis of literature provided six fundamental elements of adventure education programme design still used to guide research and practice today. While the value of McKenzie's early work should not be underestimated, adventure education has undergone considerable changes. Adventurous activities are now available in urban and indoor contexts and used to facilitate a growing health and wellbeing agenda. The use of risk as part of adventure education programming has also been critiqued. This paper reflects on contemporary notions of adventure, risk and the emergent narratives emphasising the associated psychological benefits. The Ecological Dynamics framework, along with representative design delivery, are presented as a viable way of building on McKenzie's work. Both consider how effective outcomes in adventure education programmes are achieved through designs that focus on the unique relationship between the individual and their environment. While McKenzie's six elements recognise the importance of human relationships, Ecological Dynamics forefronts relational elements, not just between participants but, importantly, the task and the environment. Individual participant needs in relation to their everyday life therefore become the focus of adventure education expanding beyond the traditional long-standing narratives of risk and danger. Through these two important concepts, this paper advocates an approach to the design of adventure representative of a participant's everyday environment. In this way, adventure education outcomes translate beyond the adventure-specific context and align more holistically with the needs of individual participants while also assuring emphasis on individual health and wellbeing.Sports 2020, 8, 20 2 of 16 environments. Activities referred to the quality of the activities designed into the programme and how well they provide mental, physical and psychological challenges and opportunities for mastery. Processing described the process of making sense of the programme by the participants and how learning in the adventure programme might be transferred to everyday life. The group element focused on the impact of group size, fellow participants and cooperation during learning. The instructor's influence included how they interacted with the group and what they brought to the programme. The participant's characteristics and capacity for autonomy were also considered important.Underpinning these categories was the notion that effective adventure programme design suggested the inclusion of challenge and risk, for example, opportunities for emotional and social risk. Contemporary evidence suggests AEP is still based on activities designed to emphasise the impact of risk (physical and psychological), with little regard for nature and requirements of participants [2][3][4][5][6]. According to Wurdinger [7], it is risk, danger and uncertainty that differentiate AEP from other activities and impacts on the learning outcomes (see Brown and Beames [3] for a contemporary ...

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Between Biophilia and Sacredness – Global North and South Divide

Adedeji

2023

Ecological Urbanism of Yoruba Cities in Nigeria

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The empowering variability of affordances of nature: Why do exercisers feel better after performing the same exercise in natural environments than in indoor environments?

Abstract: The empowering variability of affordances of nature: why do exercisers feel better after performing the same exercise in natural environments than in indoor environments? Psychology of Sport and Exercise.

Cited by 113 publications

References 80 publications

Conceptualizing the Human Health Outcomes of Acting in Natural Environments: An Ecological Perspective

Conceptualizing the Human Health Outcomes of Acting in Natural Environments: An Ecological Perspective

Reconsidering McKenzie’s Six Adventure Education Programming Elements Using an Ecological Dynamics Lens and Its Implications for Health and Wellbeing

Between Biophilia and Sacredness – Global North and South Divide

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