The Effect of Environment Perception Preferences on Psychological Restoration of Older Adults in the Severe Cold Region
Abstract
Background: Mental health issues are increasingly prevalent in older adults as the population ages. The relationship between psychological restoration and environmental perception preferences in older adults residing in the severe cold region is investigated in this study.
Methods: Six urban public areas in severe cold regions were selected as research sites, and 1093 older adults were surveyed using a questionnaire in this investigation. The questionnaire included an environmental perception preference scale and the Restorative Outcome Scale.
Results: Environmental perception preferences substantially influence psychological restoration in older adults (η² = 0.130, P < 0.001), and a notable interaction is observed between perception preferences and seasonal variations (η² = 0.065, P < 0.001). Preferences for vegetation exert the most substantial positive influence on psychological restoration during spring and summer. In winter, preferences for recreational activities are paramount; whereas in autumn, preferences for people are identified as critical for psychological restoration.
Conclusion: In severe cold regions, psychological restoration is influenced not only by environmental perception preferences but also by climate fluctuations. This study provides valuable insights, assisting designers in developing restorative environments for older adults residing in severe cold areas.
1. United Nations (2024). 2024 Revision of World Population Prospects. Available from: https://population.un.org/wpp/
2. World Health Organization (2017). Mental health of older adults. Available from: https://www.who.int/zh/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mental-health-of-older-adults
3. Gruebner O, Rapp MA, Adli M, Kluge U, Galea S, Heinz A (2017). Cities and Men-tal Health. Dtsch Arztebl Int, 114(8):121-7.
4. Jiang B, Zhang T, Sullivan WC (2015). Healthy cities: Mechanisms and research questions regarding the impacts of ur-ban green landscapes on public health and well-being. Landsc Archit Front, 3(1):24-36.
5. Liu J, Green RJ (2023). The effect of expo-sure to nature on children’s psychologi-cal well-being: A systematic review of the literature. Urban Forestry Urban Green, 81:127846.
6. Lopes S, Lima M, Silva K (2020). Nature can get it out of your mind: The rumination reducing effects of contact with nature and the mediating role of awe and mood. J Environ Psychol, 71:101489.
7. Kabisch N, Pueffel C, Masztalerz O, Hemmerling J, Kraemer R (2021). Physi-ological and psychological effects of visits to different urban green and street environments in older people: A field experiment in a dense inner-city area. Landsc Urban Plan, 207:103998.
8. Qi Y, Chen Q, Lin F, Liu Q, Zhang X, Guo J, et al (2022). Comparative study on birdsong and its multi-sensory combina-tional effects on physio-psychological restoration. J Environ Psychol, 83:101879.
9. Li N, Pang L, Chen G, Song X, Zhang J, Zheng X (2011). Risk factors for depres-sion in older adults in Beijing. Can J Psy-chiatry, 56(8):466-73.
10. Sanchez-Gonzalez D, Rivera LMA, Rodri-guez-Rodriguez M (2018). Paisaje natural y envejecimiento saludable en el lugar: el caso del Parque Nacional Cumbres de Monterrey (Mexico). Bol Asoc Geogr Esp, 76:20-51.
11. Coley RL, Sullivan WC, Kuo FE (1997). Where Does Community Grow?: The Social Context Created by Nature in Urban Public Housing. Environ Behav, 29(4):468-94.
12. Maas J, Dillen S, Verheij RA, Groenewegen PP (2009). Social contacts as a possible mechanism behind the relation between green space and health. Health Place, 15(2):586-95.
13. Keniger LE, Gaston KJ, Irvine KN, Fuller RA (2013). What are the Benefits of In-teracting with Nature? Int J Environ Res Public Health, 10(3):913-35.
14. Hough RL (2014). Biodiversity and human health: evidence for causality? Biodivers Conserv, 23(2):267-88.
15. Deng L, Li X, Luo H, et al (2020). Empirical study of landscape types, landscape el-ements, and landscape components of the urban park promoting physiological and psychological restoration. Urban Forestry Urban Green, 48:126488.
16. Nicolás-Martínez C, Pérez-Cárceles MC, Riquelme-Perea PJ, Verde-Martín CM (2024). Are Cities Decisive for Life Satis-faction? A Structural Equation Model for the European Population. Social Indic Res, 174(3):1025-51.
17. Sugiyama T, Ward Thompson C (2008). As-sociations between characteristics of neighbourhood open space and older people's walking. Urban Forestry Urban Green, 7(1):41-51.
18. Sugiyama T, Thompson CW, Alves SJE (2009). Associations between Neighbor-hood Open Space Attributes and Quali-ty of Life for Older People in Britain. Environ Behav, 41(1):3-21.
19. Ulrich RS, Simons RF, Losito BD, Fiorito E, Miles MA, Zelson M (1991). Stress res-toration during exposure to natural and urban environments. J Environ Psychol, 11(3):201-30.
20. Ulrich RS (1983). Aesthetic and affective response to natural environment. Human Behavior and Environment. Springer, Bos-ton, MA, pp. 85-125.
21. Kaplan S (1995). The restorative benefits of nature: toward an integrative framework. J Environ Psychol, 15(3):169-82.
22. Kaplan R, Kaplan S (1989). The experience of nature: A psychological perspective. Cambridge University Press.
23. Bratman GN, Hamilton JP, Hahn KS, Dai-ly GC, Gross JJ (2015). Nature experi-ence reduces rumination and subgenual prefrontal cortex activation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 112(28):8567-72.
24. Song C, Ikei H, Igarashi M, Miwa M, Tak-agaki M, Miyazaki Y (2014). Physiologi-cal and psychological responses of young males during spring-time walks in urban parks. J Physiol Anthropol, 33(1):8.
25. Hartig T, van den Berg AE, Hagerhall CM, et al. (2011). Health benefits of nature experience: Psychological, social and cultural processes. Forests, Trees and Hu-man Health. Springer, Dordrecht, pp. 127-68.
26. Bai Y, Jin H (2023). Effects of visual, ther-mal, and acoustic comfort on the psy-chological restoration of the older peo-ple in a severe cold city. Build Environ, 239:110402.
27. Robine JM, Cheung SLK, Le Roy S, et al (2008). Death toll exceeded 70,000 in Eu-rope during the summer of 2003. C R Bi-ol, 331(2):171-8.
28. Levy-Storms L, Chen L, Loukaitou-Sideris A (2017). Older Adults' Needs and Prefer-ences for Open Space and Physical Ac-tivity In and Near Parks: A Systematic Review. J Aging Phys Act, 26(4):682-696.
29. Hidalgo AK (2021). Mental health in winter cities: The effect of vegetation on streets. Urban For Urban Green, 63:127226.
30. Song CR, Joung DW, Ikei H, et al. (2013). Physiological and psychological effects of walking on young males in urban parks in winter. J Physiol Anthropol, 32(1):18.
31. Amin S, Korhonen M, Huikari S (2023). Un-employment and Mental Health: An In-strumental Variable Analysis Using Mu-nicipal-level Data for Finland for 2002–2019. Social Indic Res, 166(3):627-43.
32. Brabyn L (1996). Landscape classification using GIS and national digital databases. Landsc Res, 21(3):277-300.
33. Conrad E, Christie M, Fazey I (2009). In-corporating people’s perception into landscape planning: ethical challenges in dealing with diversity of opinion within a community. Landsc Urban Plan, 93(3):1-10.
34. Lin FR, Yaffe K, Xia J, et al. (2013). Hearing loss and cognitive decline in older adults. JAMA Intern Med, 173(4):293-9.
35. Lu S, Wonseok O, Ryozo O, Lijun W (2022). Effects of Environmental Features in Small Public Urban Green Spaces on Older Adults’ Mental Restoration: Evi-dence from Tokyo. Int J Environ Res Pub-lic Health, 19(9):5477.
36. Staats H (2012). Restorative environments. The Oxford Handbook of Environmental and Conservation Psychology. Oxford University Press, New York, pp. 445-58.
37. Booth NK (1989). Basic elements of landscape ar-chitectural design. Waveland Press.
38. Davitt K (2008). Hardscaping: How to use struc-tures, pathways, patios & ornaments in your garden. Sterling Publishing Company, Inc.
39. Nordh H, Hagerhall C, Holmqvist K (2010). Exploring view pattern and analysing pupil size as a measure of restorative qualities in park photos. Proceedings of the Conference on People and Green Spaces, Edin-burgh, Scotland, pp. 767-72.
40. Simkin J, Ojala A, Tyrväinen L (2020). Re-storative effects of mature and young commercial forests, pristine old-growth forest and urban recreation forest - a field experiment. Urban Forestry Urban Green, 48:126567.
41. Korpela KM, Ylén M, Tyrväinen L, Silven-noinen H (2008). Determinants of re-storative experiences in everyday favor-ite places. Health Place, 14(4):636-52.
42. Nordh, H. and Østby, K. 2013 Pocket parks for people – A study of park design and use. Urban For Urban Green, 12 (1), 12-17.
43. Stigsdotter, U.K. and Grahn, P. 2011 Stressed individuals’ preferences for ac-tivities and environmental characteris-tics in green spaces. Urban Forestry Urban Green, 10 (4), 295-304.
44. Zhu X, Zhang Y, Luo YY, Zhao W (2023). Natural or artificial? Exploring per-ceived restoration potential of commu-nity parks in Winter city. Urban Forestry Urban Green, 79, 127808.
45. Kuper R (2018). Effects of Flowering, Folia-tion, and Autumn Colors on Preference and Restorative Potential for Designed Digital Landscape Models. Environ Behav, 52 (5), 544-576.
46. Bai Y, Jin H (2024). The Impact of Visual, Thermal, and Acoustic Environments in Urban Public Spaces in Cold Regions on the Psychological Restoration of the Elderly. Buildings, 14(9):2685.
47. Wu Y, Huang Y, Lu J (2016). Potential effect of medical insurance on Medicare: Evi-dence from China. Iran J Public Health, 45(10): 1247-1260.
48. Lu J, Yang N, Ye J, Wu H (2014). The influ-ence paths of emotion on the occupa-tional safety of rescuers involved in en-vironmental emergencies - Systematic review article. Iran J Public Health, 43(11): 1478-1485.
2. World Health Organization (2017). Mental health of older adults. Available from: https://www.who.int/zh/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mental-health-of-older-adults
3. Gruebner O, Rapp MA, Adli M, Kluge U, Galea S, Heinz A (2017). Cities and Men-tal Health. Dtsch Arztebl Int, 114(8):121-7.
4. Jiang B, Zhang T, Sullivan WC (2015). Healthy cities: Mechanisms and research questions regarding the impacts of ur-ban green landscapes on public health and well-being. Landsc Archit Front, 3(1):24-36.
5. Liu J, Green RJ (2023). The effect of expo-sure to nature on children’s psychologi-cal well-being: A systematic review of the literature. Urban Forestry Urban Green, 81:127846.
6. Lopes S, Lima M, Silva K (2020). Nature can get it out of your mind: The rumination reducing effects of contact with nature and the mediating role of awe and mood. J Environ Psychol, 71:101489.
7. Kabisch N, Pueffel C, Masztalerz O, Hemmerling J, Kraemer R (2021). Physi-ological and psychological effects of visits to different urban green and street environments in older people: A field experiment in a dense inner-city area. Landsc Urban Plan, 207:103998.
8. Qi Y, Chen Q, Lin F, Liu Q, Zhang X, Guo J, et al (2022). Comparative study on birdsong and its multi-sensory combina-tional effects on physio-psychological restoration. J Environ Psychol, 83:101879.
9. Li N, Pang L, Chen G, Song X, Zhang J, Zheng X (2011). Risk factors for depres-sion in older adults in Beijing. Can J Psy-chiatry, 56(8):466-73.
10. Sanchez-Gonzalez D, Rivera LMA, Rodri-guez-Rodriguez M (2018). Paisaje natural y envejecimiento saludable en el lugar: el caso del Parque Nacional Cumbres de Monterrey (Mexico). Bol Asoc Geogr Esp, 76:20-51.
11. Coley RL, Sullivan WC, Kuo FE (1997). Where Does Community Grow?: The Social Context Created by Nature in Urban Public Housing. Environ Behav, 29(4):468-94.
12. Maas J, Dillen S, Verheij RA, Groenewegen PP (2009). Social contacts as a possible mechanism behind the relation between green space and health. Health Place, 15(2):586-95.
13. Keniger LE, Gaston KJ, Irvine KN, Fuller RA (2013). What are the Benefits of In-teracting with Nature? Int J Environ Res Public Health, 10(3):913-35.
14. Hough RL (2014). Biodiversity and human health: evidence for causality? Biodivers Conserv, 23(2):267-88.
15. Deng L, Li X, Luo H, et al (2020). Empirical study of landscape types, landscape el-ements, and landscape components of the urban park promoting physiological and psychological restoration. Urban Forestry Urban Green, 48:126488.
16. Nicolás-Martínez C, Pérez-Cárceles MC, Riquelme-Perea PJ, Verde-Martín CM (2024). Are Cities Decisive for Life Satis-faction? A Structural Equation Model for the European Population. Social Indic Res, 174(3):1025-51.
17. Sugiyama T, Ward Thompson C (2008). As-sociations between characteristics of neighbourhood open space and older people's walking. Urban Forestry Urban Green, 7(1):41-51.
18. Sugiyama T, Thompson CW, Alves SJE (2009). Associations between Neighbor-hood Open Space Attributes and Quali-ty of Life for Older People in Britain. Environ Behav, 41(1):3-21.
19. Ulrich RS, Simons RF, Losito BD, Fiorito E, Miles MA, Zelson M (1991). Stress res-toration during exposure to natural and urban environments. J Environ Psychol, 11(3):201-30.
20. Ulrich RS (1983). Aesthetic and affective response to natural environment. Human Behavior and Environment. Springer, Bos-ton, MA, pp. 85-125.
21. Kaplan S (1995). The restorative benefits of nature: toward an integrative framework. J Environ Psychol, 15(3):169-82.
22. Kaplan R, Kaplan S (1989). The experience of nature: A psychological perspective. Cambridge University Press.
23. Bratman GN, Hamilton JP, Hahn KS, Dai-ly GC, Gross JJ (2015). Nature experi-ence reduces rumination and subgenual prefrontal cortex activation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 112(28):8567-72.
24. Song C, Ikei H, Igarashi M, Miwa M, Tak-agaki M, Miyazaki Y (2014). Physiologi-cal and psychological responses of young males during spring-time walks in urban parks. J Physiol Anthropol, 33(1):8.
25. Hartig T, van den Berg AE, Hagerhall CM, et al. (2011). Health benefits of nature experience: Psychological, social and cultural processes. Forests, Trees and Hu-man Health. Springer, Dordrecht, pp. 127-68.
26. Bai Y, Jin H (2023). Effects of visual, ther-mal, and acoustic comfort on the psy-chological restoration of the older peo-ple in a severe cold city. Build Environ, 239:110402.
27. Robine JM, Cheung SLK, Le Roy S, et al (2008). Death toll exceeded 70,000 in Eu-rope during the summer of 2003. C R Bi-ol, 331(2):171-8.
28. Levy-Storms L, Chen L, Loukaitou-Sideris A (2017). Older Adults' Needs and Prefer-ences for Open Space and Physical Ac-tivity In and Near Parks: A Systematic Review. J Aging Phys Act, 26(4):682-696.
29. Hidalgo AK (2021). Mental health in winter cities: The effect of vegetation on streets. Urban For Urban Green, 63:127226.
30. Song CR, Joung DW, Ikei H, et al. (2013). Physiological and psychological effects of walking on young males in urban parks in winter. J Physiol Anthropol, 32(1):18.
31. Amin S, Korhonen M, Huikari S (2023). Un-employment and Mental Health: An In-strumental Variable Analysis Using Mu-nicipal-level Data for Finland for 2002–2019. Social Indic Res, 166(3):627-43.
32. Brabyn L (1996). Landscape classification using GIS and national digital databases. Landsc Res, 21(3):277-300.
33. Conrad E, Christie M, Fazey I (2009). In-corporating people’s perception into landscape planning: ethical challenges in dealing with diversity of opinion within a community. Landsc Urban Plan, 93(3):1-10.
34. Lin FR, Yaffe K, Xia J, et al. (2013). Hearing loss and cognitive decline in older adults. JAMA Intern Med, 173(4):293-9.
35. Lu S, Wonseok O, Ryozo O, Lijun W (2022). Effects of Environmental Features in Small Public Urban Green Spaces on Older Adults’ Mental Restoration: Evi-dence from Tokyo. Int J Environ Res Pub-lic Health, 19(9):5477.
36. Staats H (2012). Restorative environments. The Oxford Handbook of Environmental and Conservation Psychology. Oxford University Press, New York, pp. 445-58.
37. Booth NK (1989). Basic elements of landscape ar-chitectural design. Waveland Press.
38. Davitt K (2008). Hardscaping: How to use struc-tures, pathways, patios & ornaments in your garden. Sterling Publishing Company, Inc.
39. Nordh H, Hagerhall C, Holmqvist K (2010). Exploring view pattern and analysing pupil size as a measure of restorative qualities in park photos. Proceedings of the Conference on People and Green Spaces, Edin-burgh, Scotland, pp. 767-72.
40. Simkin J, Ojala A, Tyrväinen L (2020). Re-storative effects of mature and young commercial forests, pristine old-growth forest and urban recreation forest - a field experiment. Urban Forestry Urban Green, 48:126567.
41. Korpela KM, Ylén M, Tyrväinen L, Silven-noinen H (2008). Determinants of re-storative experiences in everyday favor-ite places. Health Place, 14(4):636-52.
42. Nordh, H. and Østby, K. 2013 Pocket parks for people – A study of park design and use. Urban For Urban Green, 12 (1), 12-17.
43. Stigsdotter, U.K. and Grahn, P. 2011 Stressed individuals’ preferences for ac-tivities and environmental characteris-tics in green spaces. Urban Forestry Urban Green, 10 (4), 295-304.
44. Zhu X, Zhang Y, Luo YY, Zhao W (2023). Natural or artificial? Exploring per-ceived restoration potential of commu-nity parks in Winter city. Urban Forestry Urban Green, 79, 127808.
45. Kuper R (2018). Effects of Flowering, Folia-tion, and Autumn Colors on Preference and Restorative Potential for Designed Digital Landscape Models. Environ Behav, 52 (5), 544-576.
46. Bai Y, Jin H (2024). The Impact of Visual, Thermal, and Acoustic Environments in Urban Public Spaces in Cold Regions on the Psychological Restoration of the Elderly. Buildings, 14(9):2685.
47. Wu Y, Huang Y, Lu J (2016). Potential effect of medical insurance on Medicare: Evi-dence from China. Iran J Public Health, 45(10): 1247-1260.
48. Lu J, Yang N, Ye J, Wu H (2014). The influ-ence paths of emotion on the occupa-tional safety of rescuers involved in en-vironmental emergencies - Systematic review article. Iran J Public Health, 43(11): 1478-1485.
| Files | ||
| Issue | Vol 54 No 2 (2025) | |
| Section | Original Article(s) | |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.18502/ijph.v54i2.17913 | |
| Keywords | ||
| Psychological restoration Older adults Urban public space Environment perception preference Severe cold region | ||
| Rights and permissions | |
|
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. |
How to Cite
1.
Bai Y, Jin H, Bai H. The Effect of Environment Perception Preferences on Psychological Restoration of Older Adults in the Severe Cold Region. Iran J Public Health. 2025;54(2):424-434.
