A Meta-Analysis of Emotional Evidence for the Biophilia Hypothesis and Implications for Biophilic Design.

ABSTRACT: The biophilia hypothesis posits an innate biological and genetic connection between human and nature, including an emotional dimension to this connection. Biophilic design builds on this hypothesis in an attempt to design human-nature connections into the built environment. This article builds on this theoretical framework through a meta-analysis of experimental studies on the emotional impacts of human exposure to natural and urban environments. A total of 49 studies were identified, with a combined sample size of 3,201 participants. The primary findings indicated that exposure to natural environments had a medium to large effect on both increasing positive affect and decreasing negative affect. This finding supported the anticipated emotional dimension of the biophilia hypothesis and len

SUBMITTER: Gaekwad JS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9186521 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature