The quality of time in nature: How fascination explains and enhances the relationship between nature experiences and daily affect

Abstract

Research shows that the quantity of time in nature is associated with improved emotional well-being: The more time people spend in nature, the more positive they feel. However, less is known about the quality of experience in nature and how it may influence the nature-well-being relationship. In this study, we examined the role of fascination as an important quality of one's experience in nature. According to Attention Restoration Theory, heightened fascination within natural environments may help restore attentional capabilities and account for the beneficial effects of nature on well-being. In this 13-day daily diary study of 319 young adults, multilevel analyses were used to investigate whether perceived fascination in nature accounted for and potentially enhanced the day-to-day relationship between time spent in nature each day and daily positive/negative affect. As hypothesized, fascination accounted for some of the relationship between nature and higher positive affect. Fascination also enhanced the relationship between nature and higher positive affect. Time spent in nature was also associated with reduced negative affect for women only, and this association was fully accounted for by the degree of fascination in nature. This latter finding suggests that fascination as an attentional quality may play a key role in the process between exposure to nature and reduced negative affect among women. The importance of quality, not just quantity of daily nature experiences, and future directions will be discussed. © Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.