Restorative Effects of Virtual Nature Settings Deltcho Valtchanov, B.Sc., Kevin R. Barton, M.A., and Colin Ellard, Ph.D. Abstract Previous research regarding the potential benefits of exposing individuals to surrogate nature (photographs and videos) has found that such immersion results in restorative effects such as increased positive affect, decreased negative affect, and decreased stress. In the current experiment, we examined whether immersion in a virtual computer-generated nature setting could produce restorative effects. Twenty-two participants were equally di- vided between two conditions, while controlling for gender. In each condition, participants performed a stress- induction task, and were then immersed in virtual reality (VR) for 10 minutes. The control condition featured a slide show in VR, and the nature experimental condition featured an active exploration of a virtual forest. Participants in the nature condition were found to exhibit increased positive affect and decreased stress after immersion in VR when compared to those in the control condition. The results suggest that immersion in virtual nature settings has similar beneficial effects as exposure to surrogate nature. These results also suggest that VR can be used as a tool to study and understand restorative effects. Introduction R estorative effects are classified as a reduction in cognitive fatigue, decreased stress levels, increased focus, increased positive affect, decreased negative affect, and de- creased sympathetic nervous system activity. 1,2 Early studies by Kaplan and Kaplan 3,4 measured cognitive and emotional changes in participants in an outdoor challenge program. The program consisted of instruction in survival skills for a pe- riod of 2 weeks. Pre- and posttests and comparisons with control groups revealed gains in confidence, self-sufficiency, and more realistic self-evaluations. More recent research by Berman et al. 5 compared effects of interaction with natural versus urban environments on cognitive function. Berman et al. 5 found that a walk in a local park allowed for greater improvement in performance on a backwards digit-span task than a walk through a downtown area. Berman et al. 5 also found that executive attention (as measured by the Attention Network Task) and performance on a backwards digit-span task improved after viewing pictures of nature when com- pared to a group that viewed urban areas. Findings such as those of the Kaplans gave rise to the at- tention restoration theory (ART) as described in Kaplan, 6,7 stating that when one interacts with an environment (such as a natural environment) that is rich with fascinating stimuli, attention is modestly captured in a bottom-up fashion by the stimuli, allowing directed attention mechanisms to re- cover. 2,6,7 Also, unlike natural environments that modestly promote involuntary attention, urban environments contain bottom-up stimuli (such as flashing neon signs, lights, and various loud sounds) that dramatically capture attention while also requiring directed attention to overcome the stimuli (e.g., ignoring advertisements), and are thus less restorative. 5 Re- cent research by Berto et al. 8 examining eye movements when looking at images of urban and nature settings demonstrated fewer fixations in high-fascination (nature) scenes, suggesting that they were viewed with less effort and providing support for the notion that nature modestly promotes involuntary attention as suggested by ART. In contrast to Kaplan’s theory, Ulrich et al. 9,10 proposed that an individual’s initial response to an environment is af- fective rather than cognitive. In this theory, structural prop- erties (such as complexity and focality) are believed to elicit an automatic affective response. Ulrich proposed that the patterns within a person’s visual field (such as those in nature settings) prompt prepotent (and potentially automatic) re- sponses from the individual. 2,9 In this theory, patterns seen outside of nature are believed to be more threatening (and physiologically arousing) than those seen in nature settings. 2 Unlike Kaplan’s model, where replenishment of capacity for attention is believed to be the source of restoration, Ulrich’s model proposes that the initial affective response (including that of liking and moderate interest) to an environment shapes cognitive events that follow, leading to sustained at- tention, higher levels of positive feelings, and reduced nega- tive or stress-related feelings, as well as suppressed negative thoughts. 10 Experiments by Ulrich have focused on measur- ing the emotional and physiological states of participants. Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. CYBERPSYCHOLOGY,BEHAVIOR, AND SOCIAL NETWORKING Volume 13, Number 5, 2010 ª Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. DOI: 10.1089=cyber.2009.0308 503