Layered habitats: An evolutionary model for present-day recreational needs

Frontiers in Psychology

article

Jonathan Stoltz¹ 

[1] Department of People and Society, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

关键词: human evolution;    Human habitat;    Landscape preferences;    evolutionary aesthetics;    outdoor recreation;    Cultural ecosystem services;    Health and Wellbeing;    restoration;    perceived sensory dimensions (PSDs);   

DOI  :  10.3389/fpsyg.2022.914294

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: Frontiers

【 摘 要 】

Urbanisation and lifestyle-related illnesses increase globally. This highlights the need to shape modern human habitats to support basic recreational needs, promoting such things as physical activity and restoration of high stress levels and attention fatigue. Previous research suggests eight perceived qualities in the outdoor environment, described as eight perceived sensory dimensions, as universally meaningful to people in this regard. However quite extensively studied in relation to various health and wellbeing outcomes, primarily from the perspective of restoration from stress and attention fatigue, human sensitivity and appreciation for these qualities has not yet been explicitly analysed from an evolutionary perspective. This paper investigates their possible evolutionary roots and suggests an order for their development. This is linked with empirical findings on their relative capacity to support restoration from stress and attention fatigue. Qualities of earlier origin are suggested to correspond to older, more fundamental psychophysiological adaptations. Each subsequently developed quality implies an increased complexity of our environmental relations, associated with higher demands on more recently developed capacities. The proposed model thus links the more restorative Serene, Sheltered, Natural, and Cohesive perceived sensory dimensions with earlier stages of our development while the more demanding Diverse, Open, Cultural, and Social qualities are associated with more recent transitions. The presented model might be of relevance when shaping modern human habitats and recreational outdoor environments from a health-promoting perspective. Especially when considering restoration of stress levels and cognitive fatigue, the model might have applications in the planning and design of, e.g., health care settings, rehabilitation gardens, urban green areas, or recreational forests.

【 授权许可】

CC BY