Memory Improved 20% by Nature Walk
New study finds that short-term memory is improved 20% by walking in nature, or even just by looking at an image of a natural scene.
I'm sitting in front of the computer and I've been working too hard for too long without a break. My brain feels like it's filling with wet cardboard. In fact what I'm doing isn't writing any more, it's just typing. I go to the kitchen, stand there for a moment, can't remember what I've come in for, feel foolish, then eat a biscuit.
It doesn't help.
Time for a walk. But where to? Perhaps into town to pick up some supplies, or maybe the other way, towards the park and the river?
Most of us are aware that a quick walk around the block does wonders for the mind. But what a new study reveals is that if you want to come back with your brain power enhanced, the scenery en route really matters.
Communing with nature
Marc G. Berman and colleagues at the University of Michigan wanted to test the effect of a walk's scenery on cognitive function (Berman, Jonides & Kaplan, 2008). In the first of two studies participants were given a 35 minute task involving repeating loads of random numbers back to the experimenter, but in reverse order. After this cognitive psychology special (!) they were sent out for a walk - one group around an arboretum and the other down a busy city street - both while being tracked with GPS devices. They each repeated the memory test when they got back.
The results showed that people's performance on the test improved by almost 20% after wandering amongst the trees. By comparison those subjected to a busy street did not reliably improve on the test.
In the second study participants weren't even allowed to leave the lab but instead some stared at pictures of natural scenes while others looked at urban environments. The improvements weren't quite as impressive as the first study, but, once again, the trees and fields beat the roads and lampposts.
These results replicated a previous study by Berto (2005) who found that just viewing pictures of natural scenes had a restorative effect on cognitive function. People's performance was soon restored by picture of trees, fields and hills, but not by streets, industrial units or even complex geometric patterns.
Attention Restoration Theory
What is it, then, about being immersed in real natural scenes that allows the mind to unwind? Kaplan (1995) provides a nice explanation based on the idea that attention is split into two types:
- Involuntary attention is grabbed by whatever is most immediate to our survival. We have less control over this and consequently find it very difficult to ignore things like buses coming straight at us.
- Directed attention is what we use to override our instinctual, involuntary attention. It allows us to resolve conflicts so that, for example, we can work out we are in more immediate danger from a car overtaking that bus. Vitally, directed attention is thought important to our short-term memory.
Imagine crossing a busy street: our involuntary attention is being pulled one way then the other by all sorts of stimuli. There are other people on a collision course, crossing signals to decipher, police sirens in the distance - not to mention the cars, buses and motorcycles whizzing past on the road. All this buzz means we continually have to decide where our attention should be directed. This is tiring.
In comparison natural scenes only engage our involuntary attention modestly: it's enough to stop us getting bored, but not so much we need to engage our directed attention to work out where to put our focus. Effectively gazing at the sunset gives our directed attention a rest and we can let our minds wander.
Trees and fields: the ultimate cognitive enhancers?
So just as we might have predicted nature is a kind of natural cognitive enhancer, helping our brain let off steam so it can cruise back up to full functioning. The beauty of this study is it neatly tests the idea and puts a concrete number on the improvement. Of course it only tested an arboretum, and only one type of cognitive function. It may well be that other natural areas provide even greater benefits. What about the sea-side, sunsets or sand dunes? What about perception, problem-solving or executive function?
Whatever the outcomes in different natural environments, these benefits for cognition are impressive for what is essentially a free activity (providing natural areas are close). In fact these results are even more impressive when you consider the difficulty researchers have had showing the benefits of 'brain training' software for cognitive function (see: which cognitive enhancers really work?).
Like many a favourite psychology study this one is also practical. When our minds need refreshing and if natural scenery is accessible, we should take the opportunity. If not then just looking at pictures of nature is a reasonable second best.
Of course many people already decorate their homes with images of landscape, probably without realising the cognitive benefits. So even if you can't get out of the house, and all your windows look out onto urban jungle, when you need a break take a glance at a few images of nature. Flickr wouldn't be a bad place to start.
» Related: Activities in the open air have the strongest restorative effect on our mental states.
» Also see Mind Hacks for more on this subject.
[Image credit: l'etrusco]
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very intrestring and nice blog.some times i have similar experience.thnak you for giving suggetion by walking in nature we can get 20% improvement in memory.
vikram,
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I always thought this so, its nice to hear its been tested and is true, so now when im outside having a cigarrette brake i will spend the time soaking in the scenery.
Nice article, thanks.
Yeah, but smoking cigarettes will overall have a worse effect on your body than this will do to your mind, however.
Hello, I like your blog and the idea of improving memory by walking in nature is very appealing as well....!
That certainly rings true, I live in Edinburgh but my street backs right onto Holyrood Park. All I have to do to clear my mind is take a half-hour walk out there, preferably into a little gully in which you are completely shielded form any sight or sound of the city. The calming effect is incredible.
I don't know about it specifically affecting my memory but I'd imagine that improved memory would contribute to the clarity I feel.
I thought this message was very indeed helpful for people who are failing in science. I know i am failing in science, because i know my teacher is very nice, but i don't know why i don't pay attention and I'm so board i need to keep up or i won't be able to be on the honor roll (it's a for people with great grades and get a honor roll pin). Also my last grade for my science test was a C !!!! I'm only in the 5th grade too. I want to succeed and go to sixth grade but i always think about the fun. Now on I will try to learn and pay attention. If you read his i hope you do better than me! And you don't want to listen me brag about math!!!!
Interesting. I seem to remember studies on how having plants in your office increases your happiness. I wonder if it also increases your memory.
This leaves a very important question unresolved: Do the nature stimuli enhance the storage, or do they enhance the recall?
Perhaps the experiment should be repeated, but the experimental group split into two parts: Group 1 takes a walk right after memorization, and Group 2 takes a walk right before recall.
I agree with phyzome. It brings into question memory and recall. I personally believe it is probably hightens recall the most, but it would be very interesting if it was able to increase how well and much we store information
Very interesting post. I think it kinda explains why some of the university campuses are often surrounded with trees and parks when not in the city. I also agree with you Zen that it would most probably enhance the recall activity. I do wonder if natural scene works the same way meditation does on our brains; by focusing attention and de-cluttering.
I believe nature is the most healing thing out there, and if it improves our memories, all the better...
Thanks for this post. It's good to see researchers are looking at the different natural ways to help us de-stress and improve our lives.
Of course, before the "modern age", this is how we stayed connected with the natural world and it's rhythms, which we are a part of, but have separated ourselves from.
This is so cool. I always felt refreshed after a run or walk, yet never realized the difference regarding the scenery until now.
This post will change my behavior forever.
Thank you so much.
I wonder if the study took in to account the effect of the color of the environment? Green and blue have specific effects on the body. Could the same effect be created by shining a blue and green light on the body, maybe thru the eyes or maybe on the whole body? Certainly a city environment has little greenery like plants and sometimes the sky is less than blue. Just something to think about.
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This is very good for my business if this is true. I am a landscape photographer and I believe the images give you sensations by viewing them but had no idea they improved short term memory. I should stair at my images more often so I can remember what I had for breakfast today.
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