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Cited by 155Urban Green Space and HealthPsychological Well-being and Life SatisfactionMindfulness and Compassion Interventions

Joy and calm: how an evolutionary functional model of affect regulation informs positive emotions in nature

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Richardson, Miles, McEwan, Kirsten, Maratos, Frances, Sheffield, David·2016·Evolutionary Psychological Science
DOI 10.1007/s40806-016-0065-5
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Abstract

Key theories of the human need for nature take an evolutionary perspective, and many of the mental well-being benefits of nature relate to positive affect. As affect has a physiological basis, it is important to consider these benefits alongside regulatory processes. However, research into nature and positive affect tends not to consider affect regulation and the neurophysiology of emotion. This brief systematic review and meta-analysis presents evidence to support the use of an existing evolutionary functional model of affect regulation (the three circle model of emotion) that provides a tripartite framework in which to consider the mental well-being benefits of nature and to guide nature-based well-being interventions. The model outlines drive, contentment and threat dimensions of affect regulation based on a review of the emotion regulation literature. The model has been used previously for understanding mental well-being, delivering successful mental health-care interventions and providing directions for future research. Finally, the three circle model is easily understood in the context of our everyday lives, providing an accessible physiological-based narrative to help explain the benefits of nature.

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  • The authors of the forest bathing trial attributed HRV decreases to the experience of biophobia, consistent with the evolutionary model of wellbeing.

    “The authors attributed HRV decreases to the experience of biophobia, consistent with the evolutionary model of wellbeing (Richardson et al., 2016), which highlights how the natural environment may also trigger “primed” emotional responses associated with anxiety in some people.”

    From The Complex Construct of Wellbeing and the Role of Vagal Function (2022) · cites this paper as Richardson et al., 2016

    The Nature and HRV Research Discussion (page unavailable) reports that some participants had HRV responses opposite to the usual pattern and raises the possibility that threat, anxiety, or phobias in nature may matter. It also discusses biophobia and evolutionarily ‘primed’ emotional responses. But it does not establish that biophobia caused HRV decreases or say that the forest-bathing trial authors attributed those responses to it; the discussion says the studies did not analyze anxiety as a potential barrier to positive HRV changes. (LLM, conf=0.88)

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  • Findings from meta-analysis show that natural environments promote greater vagal function relative to urban environments.

    “Despite this variability across participants, findings from meta-analysis (Richardson et al., 2016) have shown that natural environments promote greater vagal function relative to urban environments.”

    From The Complex Construct of Wellbeing and the Role of Vagal Function (2022) · cites this paper as Richardson et al., 2016

  • The evolutionary model of wellbeing highlights how the natural environment may trigger primed emotional responses associated with anxiety in some people.

    “The authors attributed HRV decreases to the experience of biophobia, consistent with the evolutionary model of wellbeing (Richardson et al., 2016), which highlights how the natural environment may also trigger “primed” emotional responses associated with anxiety in some people.”

    From The Complex Construct of Wellbeing and the Role of Vagal Function (2022) · cites this paper as Richardson et al., 2016

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Research works printed but not linked: 5

  1. [19]19. Park, B. J., Tsunetsugu, Y., Hirano, H., Kagawa, T., & Miyazaki, Y. (2007). Physiological evaluation of the effects of Shinrinyoku (tak- ing in the atmosphere of the forest) in Kayanodaira Highland, Kijimadaira Village, Nagano Prefecture (in Japanese). Kanto Journal of Forest Research, 58, 219-222.
  2. [21]21. Gilbert, P. (2005). Compassion: conceptualisations, research and use in psychotherapy. Oxford: Routledge.
  3. [39]39. Kellert, S. R. (1993). The biological basis for human values of nature. In S. R. Kellert & E. O. Wilson (Eds.), The biophilia hypothesis (pp. 42-69). Washington: Island Press.
  4. [62]62. Panksepp, J. (1998a). Affective neuroscience. New York: Oxford University Press.
  5. [93]93. Wilson, E. O. (1984). Biophilia. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.

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Authors
Richardson, M., McEwan, K., Maratos, F., & Sheffield, D.
Affiliations
  • University of Derby (GB)
  • Cardiff University (GB)
Corresponding author
Richardson, Miles
ORCID
Venue
Evolutionary Psychological Science
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2016-08-23
Volume
2
Issue
4
Pages
308-320
ISSN
2198-9885 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1007/s40806-016-0065-5
OpenAlex
W2507396893
Cited by
155
References
94
Citations by year
2026: 12 · 2025: 18 · 2024: 23 · 2023: 22 · 2022: 35 · 2021: 17 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 10 · 2017: 4
FWCI
4.61
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Evolutionary Psychological Science (publishedVersion, other-oa)
  • University of Derby Online Research Archive. (University of Derby) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Urban Green Space and Health
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions
Keywords
emotion regulation, positive affect, nature and well-being, psychological well-being, nature-based interventions, neurophysiology of emotion, evolutionary psychology

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