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Affective Benefits of Nature Contact: The Role of Rumination

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Bratman, Gregory N., Young, Gerald, Mehta, Ashish, Lee Babineaux, Ihno, Daily, Gretchen C., Gross, James J.·2021·Frontiers in Psychology
DOI 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.643866PMC PMC7988226
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Abstract

Mounting evidence shows that nature contact is associated with affective benefits. However, the psychological mechanisms responsible for these effects are not well understood. In this study, we examined whether more time spent in nature was associated with higher levels of positive affect in general, and lower levels of negative affect and rumination in general. We also conducted a cross-sectional mediation analysis to examine whether rumination mediated the association of nature contact with affect. Participants ( N = 617) reported their average time spent in nature each week, as well as their general levels of positive and negative affect, and the degree to which they typically engaged in rumination in daily life. We then used structural equation modeling to test our hypotheses. Our results support the hypothesis that nature contact is associated with general levels of affect, and that rumination mediates this association for negative affect, and marginally mediates this association for positive affect.

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  • Affected populations may suffer from the repercussions that are tied to the decreased nature contact that is associated with WFS, through a deprivation of the opportunity to experience the anxiety and rumination reduction, social cohesion, and increases in positive affect that nature contact provides.

    “Additionally, affected populations may suffer from the repercussions that are tied to the decreased nature contact that is associated with WFS, through a deprivation of the opportunity to experience the anxiety and rumination reduction [26–28], social cohesion [29, 30], and increases in positive affect [31–33] that nature contact provides.”

    From What can we do when the smoke rolls in? An exploratory qualitative analysis of the impacts of rural wildfire smoke on mental health and wellbeing, and opportunities for adaptation (2022) · cites this paper as [27]

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Bratman, G. N., Young, G., Mehta, A., Lee Babineaux, I., Daily, G. C., & Gross, J. J.
Affiliations
  • University of Washington (US)
  • University of California, Berkeley (US)
  • Stanford University (US)
Corresponding author
Bratman, Gregory N.
ORCID
Venue
Frontiers in Psychology
Publisher
Frontiers Media SA
Published
2021-03-10
Volume
12
Pages
643866-643866
ISSN
1664-1078 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.3389/fpsyg.2021.643866
PMC
PMC7988226
OpenAlex
W3133501168
Cited by
54
References
20
Citations by year
2026: 8 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 3
FWCI
3.57
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Frontiers in Psychology (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
  • eScholarship (California Digital Library) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Funders
  • Marcus och Amalia Wallenbergs minnesfond
  • Stanford Institute for Research in the Social Sciences
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Urban Green Space and Health
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
Keywords
nature contact, rumination, positive affect, negative affect, time in nature, psychological well-being, mediation

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