Abstract
The current study is an expanded replication study examining the efficacy of a modified version of Passmore and Holder’s (2017) nature-based well-being intervention, the Noticing Nature Intervention (NNI). Undergraduates (N = 173) from a university in China were randomly assigned to engage in the NNI for 2 weeks (i.e., pay attention to, and provide a brief description of, how the everyday nature you encounter makes you feel) or to engage in one of two active control conditions. Both quantitative and qualitative findings replicated previous results. At the end of the 2-week intervention, compared to control groups, participants who engaged in the NNI reported significantly higher levels of well-being and significantly lower levels of ill-being (ds from 0.41 to 0.69). As in the 2017 study, these well-being benefits were not moderated by trait levels of connectedness to nature. Further replicating the 2017 results, these well-being benefits were not a function of the NNI group spending significantly more time in nature (ds = 0.05–0.07,); rather, boosts to well-being and reduction of ill-being were the result merely of paying attention to the everyday nature participants encountered in their daily routines. Analysis of qualitative findings revealed that positive emotions were significantly more likely to be reported by participants in the NNI condition (z = 6.5), while negative emotions were significantly less likely to be reported by those in the NNI condition (z = −7.3). This research provides further empirical support for the Noticing Nature Intervention as an effective well-being intervention.
Similar content being viewed by others
Availability of data and material
Notes
G*Power analysis parameters: F tests; ANCOVA – fixed effects, main effects, and interactions; effect size f = 0.25; α error = 0.05; power = 0.80; numerator df = 2; groups = 3; covariates = 1.
Additional measures of small self, place attachment, interdependent self construal, and allo-inclusive identity were also administered pre- and post-intervention for the purpose of a separate, exploratory study focusing on different aspects than herein. These will be reported on in a separate article.
To be conservative, we also ran the moderation analyses using the NNI condition and a collapsed human-built + placebo condition. All moderation effects remained non-significant with the exception of prediction of meaning in life where the interaction was marginally significant.
Qualitative coding was conducted by the second author who is fluent in Chinese and English.
References
Ballew, M. T., & Omoto, A. M. (2018). Absorption: How nature experiences promote awe and other positive emotions. Ecopsychology, 10, 26–35. https://doi.org/10.1089/eco.2017.0044
Barnes, M. R., Donahue, M. L., Keeler, B. L., Shorb, C. M., Mohtadi, T. Z., & Shelby, L. J. (2019). Characterizing nature and participant experience in studies of nature exposure for positive mental health: An integrative review. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, 2617. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02617
Beer, A. (2020). Every day nature: How noticing nature can quietly change your life. National Trust.
Bolier, L., Haverman, M., Westerhof, G. J., Riper, H., Smit, F., & Bohlmeijer, E. (2013). Positive psychology interventions: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled studies. BMC Public Health, 13, 119–138.
Bratman, G. N., Daily, G. C., Levy, B. J., & Gross, J. J. (2015). The benefits of nature experience: Improved affect and cognition. Landscape and Urban Planning, 138, 41–50.
Bryant, F., & Veroff, J. (2007). Savoring: A new model of positive experience. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Capaldi, C. A., Passmore, H.-A., Nisbet, E. K., Zelenski, J. M., & Dopko, R. L. (2015). Flourishing in nature: A review of the well-being benefits of connecting with nature and its application as a positive psychology intervention. International Journal of Wellbeing, 5, 1–16.
Carr, A., Cullen, K., Keeney, C., Canning, C., Mooney, O., Chinseallaigh, E., & O’Dowd, A. (2020). Effectiveness of positive psychology interventions: A systematic review and meta-analysis. The Journal of Positive Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2020.1818807
Chakhssi, F., Kraiss, J. T., Sommers-Spijkerman, M., & Bohlmeijer, E. T. (2018). The effect of positive psychology interventions on well-being and distress in clinical samples with psychiatric or somatic disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Psychiatry, 18(1), 211. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-018-1739-2
DeCicco, T. L., & Stroink, M. L. (2007). A third model of self-construal: The metapersonal self. International Journal of Transpersonal Studies, 26, 82–104.
Diener, E., Emmons, R. A., Larsen, R. J., & Griffin, S. (1985). The satisfaction with life scale. Journal of Personality Assessment, 49, 71–75.
Emmons, R. A., & McCullough, M. E. (2003). Counting blessings versus burdens: An experimental investigation of gratitude and subjective well-being in daily life. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84(2), 377–389.
Geddes, O., & Passmore, H.-A. (2021). Green exercise: Actively flourishing in nature. In E. Brymer, M. Rogerson, & J. Barton (Eds.), Nature and health: Physical activity in nature (pp. 35–46). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003154419
Hamann, G. A., & Ivtzan, I. (2016). 30 minutes in nature a day can increase mood, well-being, meaning in life and mindfulness: Effects of a pilot programme. Social Inquiry into Well-Being, 2, 34–46.
Hayes, A. F. (2018). Introduction to mediation, moderation, and conditional process analysis: A regression-based approach (2nd ed.). Guilford Publications.
Hayes, A. F., & Cai, L. (2007). Using heteroskedasticity-consistent standard error estimators in OLS regression: An introduction and software implementation. Behavior Research Methods, 39, 709–722. https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03192961
Heilmayr, D., & Miller, T. J. (2020). Nature exposure achieves comparable health and well-being improvements as best practice, positive psychology interventions. Ecopsychology, 12(4), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1089/eco.2019.0074
Hendriks, T., Schotanus-Dijkstra, M., Hassankhan, A., de Jong, J., & Bohlmeijer, E. (2020). The efficacy of multi-component positive psychology interventions: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Journal of Happiness Studies, 21(1), 357–390. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-019-00082-1
Hendriks, T., Schotanus-Dijkstra, M., Hassankhan, A., Graafsma, T., Bohlmeijer, E., & de Jong, J. (2018). The efficacy of positive psychology interventions from non-Western countries: A systematic review and meta-analysis. International Journal of Wellbeing, 8(1), 71–98. https://doi.org/10.5502/ijw.v8i1.711
Henrich, J., Heine, S. J., & Norenzayan, A. (2010). The weirdest people in the world? Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 33, 61–83.
Henry, J. D., & Crawford, J. R. (2005). The short-form version of the depression anxiety stress scales (DASS-21): Construct validity and normative data in a large non-clinical sample. The British Journal of Clinical psychology/the British Psychological Society, 44, 227–239.
Howell, A. J., Dopko, R. L., Passmore, H.-A., & Buro, K. (2011). Nature connectedness: Associations with well-being and mindfulness. Personality and Individual Differences, 51, 166–171. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2011.03.037
Howell, A. J., & Passmore, H.-A. (2013). The nature of happiness: Nature affiliation and mental well-being. In C. L. M. Keyes (Ed.), Mental well-being: International contributions to the study of positive mental health (pp. 231–257). Springer.
Howell, A. J., Passmore, H.-A., & Buro, K. (2013). Meaning in nature: Meaning in life as a mediator of the relationship between nature connectedness and well-being. Journal of Happiness Studies, 14, 1681–1696. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-012-9403-x
Huang, L., Yang, T., & Li, Z. (2003). Applicability of the positive and negative affect scale in Chinese. Chinese Mental Health, 17(1), 54–56.
Hunt, J. T., Howell, A. J., & Passmore, H.-A. (2021). In vivo nature exposure as a positive psychological intervention: A review of the impact of nature interventions on well-being. In E. Brymer, M. Rogerson, & J. Barton (Eds.), Nature and health: Physical activity in nature. (pp. 160–174). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003154419
Huta, V. (2013). Pursuing eudaimonia versus hedonia: Distinctions, similarities, and relationships. In A. Waterman (Ed.), The best within us: Positive psychology perspectives on eudaimonic functioning (pp. 139–158). APA Books.
Huta, V., & Ryan, R. M. (2010). Pursuing pleasure or virtue: The differential and overlapping well-being benefits of hedonic and eudaimonic motives. Journal of Happiness Studies, 11, 735–762.
Jiang, L.-C., Yan, Y.-J., Jin, Z.-S., Hu, M.-L., Wang, L, Song, Y., Li, N.-N., Su, J., Wu, D.-X., & Xiao, T. (2020). The depression anxiety stress scale-21 in Chinese hospital workers: Reliability, latent structure, and measurement invariance across genders. Frontiers in Psychology. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00247
Jiang, Y., Bai, L., & Xue, S. (2016). Validation of the meaning in life questionnaire (MLQ) in Chinese university students and invariance across gender. International Journal of Humanities Social Sciences and Education (IJHSSE), 3(3), 41–48.
Joye, Y., & van den Berg, A. (2011). Is love for green in our genes? A critical analysis of evolutionary assumptions in restorative environments research. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 10, 261–268.
Lambert, L., Pasha-Zaidi, N., Passmore, H.-A., & Al-Karam, C. Y. (2015). Developing an indigenous positive psychology in the United Arab Emirates. Middle East Journal of Positive Psychology, 1, 1–23. https://middleeastjournalofpositivepsychology.org/index.php/mejpp/article/view/24
Lambert, L., Passmore, H.-A., & Joshanlop, M. (2019). A positive psychology intervention program in a culturally-diverse university: Boosting happiness and reducing fear. Journal of Happiness Studies, 20, 1141–1162. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-018-9993-z
Leary, M. R., Tipsord, J. M., & Tate, E. M. (2008). Allo-inclusive identity: Incorporating the social and natural worlds into one’s sense of self. In H. A. Wayment & J. J. Bauer (Eds.), Transcending self-interest: Psychological exploration of the quiet ego (pp. 137–147). APA.
Lovibond, S. H., & Lovibond, P. F. (1995). Manual for the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (2nd ed.). Psychology Foundation.
Lumber, R., Richardson, M., & Sheffield, D. (2017). Beyond knowing nature: Contact, emotion, compassion, meaning, and beauty are pathways to nature connection. PLoS ONE, 12(5), e0177186. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0177186
Marselle, M. R., Irvine, K. N., Lorenzo-Arribas, A., & Warber, S. L. (2016). Does perceived restorativeness mediate the effects of perceived biodiversity and perceived naturalness on emotional well-being following group walks in nature? Journal of Environmental Psychology, 46, 217–232. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2016.04.008
Mayer, F. S., Frantz, C. M., Bruehlman-Senecal, E., & Dolliver, K. (2009). Why is nature beneficial? The role of connectedness to nature. Environment and Behavior, 41, 604–643.
McEwan, K., Richardson, M., Sheffield, D., Ferguson, F. J., & Brindley, P. (2019). A smartphone appp for improving mental health through connecting with urban nature. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(18), 3373. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16183373
McMahan, E. A., & Estes, D. (2015). The effect of contact with natural environments on positive and negative affect: A meta-analysis. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 10, 507–519.
Mongrain, M., & Anselmo-Matthews, T. (2012). Do positive psychology exercises work? A replication of Seligman (2005). Journal of Clinical Psychology, 68, 382–389.
Moreton, S., Arena, A., & Tiliopoulos, N. (2019). Connectedness to nature is more strongly related to connection to distant, rather than close, others. Ecopsychology, 11(1), 59–65).
Muthukrishna, M., Bell, A. V., Henrich, J., Curtin, C. M., Gedranovich, A., McInerney, J., & Thue, B. (2020). Beyond western, educated, industrial, rich, and democratic (WEIRD) psychology: Measuring and mapping scales of cultural and psychological distance. Psychological Science, 31(6), 678–701. https://doi.org/10.1177/095679762091678
Nghiem, T. P. I., Wong, K. L., Jeevanandam, I., Chang, C. C., Tan, L. Y. C., Goh, Y., & Carrasco R. (2021). Biodoverse urban forests, happy people: Experiential evidence linking perceived biodiversity, restoration, and emotional wellbeing. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 59(127030). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2021.127030
Nisbet, E. K., & Zelenski, J. M. (2011). Underestimating nearby nature: Affective forecasting errors obscure the happy path to sustainability. Psychological Science, 22, 1101–1106.
Nisbet, E. K., Zelenski, J. M., & Grandpierre, Z. (2019). Mindfulness in nature enhances connectedness and mood. Ecopsychology, 11(2), 81–91. https://doi.org/10.1089/eco.2018.0061
Oh, B., Lee, K. J., Zaslawski, C., Yeung, A., Rosenthal, D., Larkey, L., & Back, M. (2017). Health and well-being benefits of spending time in forests: Systematic Review. Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine, 22, 71. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12199-017-0677-9
Otake, K., Shimai, S., Tanaka-Matsumi, J., Otsui, K., & Fredrickson, B. L. (2006). Happy people become happier through kindness: A counting kindnesses intervention. Journal of Happiness Studies, 7, 361–375. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-005-3650-z
Passmore, H.-A., & Holder, M. D. (2017). Noticing nature: Individual and social benefits of a two-week intervention. Journal of Positive Psychology, 12(6), 537–546. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2016.1221126
Passmore, H.-A., & Howell, A. J. (2014). Nature involvement increases hedonic and eudaimonic well-being: A two-week experimental study. Ecopsychology, 6, 148–154. https://doi.org/10.1089/eco.2014.0023
Pocock, M. J. O., Hamlin, I., Christelow, J., Passmore, H.-A., & Richardson, M. (2021). The benefits of citizen science and nature-noticing activities for wellbeing, nature connectedness and pro-nature conservation behaviours. Manuscript under review.
Richardson, M., Cormack, A., McRobert, L., & Underhill, R. (2016). 30 Days Wild: Development and evaluation of a large-scale nature engagement campaign to improve well-being. PLoSONE. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0149777
Richardson, M., Passmore, H.-A., Lumber, R., Thomas, R., & Hunt, A. (2021). Moments, not minutes: The nature-wellbeing relationship. International Journal of Wellbeing, 11(1), 8–33. https://doi.org/10.5502/ijw.v11i1.1267
Russell, R., Guerry, A. D., Balvanera, P., Gould, R. K., Basurto, X., Chan, K. M. A., Klain, S., Levine, J., & Tam, J. (2013). Humans and nature: How knowing and experiencing nature affect well-being. Annual Review of Environment and Resources, 38, 473–502. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-environ-012312-110838
Ryan, R. M., Weinstein, N., Bernstein, J., Brown, K. W., Mistretta, L., & Gagné, M. (2010). Vitalizing effects of being outdoors and in nature. Environmental Psychology, 30, 159–168.
Saskatchewan Medical Association. (2021). National nature prescription program, PaRx, launches in Saskatcehwan. https://www.sma.sk.ca/news/2362/news-release-national-nature-prescription-program-parx-launches-in-saskatchewan.html
Schebella, M. F., Weber, D., Schultz, L., & Weinstein, P. (2019). The wellbeing benefits associated with perceived and measured biodiversity in Australian urban green spaces. Sustainability, 11(3), 802. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11030802
Seligman, M. E. P., Steen, T. A., Park, N., & Peterson, C. (2005). Positive psychology progress: Empirical validation of interventions. American Psychologist, 60, 410–421.
Shanahan, D. F., Astell-Burt, T., Barber, E. A., Brymer, E., Cox, D. T. C., Dean, J., Depledg, e M., Fuller, R. A., Hartig, T., Irvine, K. N., Jones, A., Kikillus, H., Lovell, R., Mitchell, R., Niemelä, J. Pretty, J., Townsend, M., van Heezik, Y., Warber, S., & Gaston, K. J. (2019). Nature-based interventions for improving health and wellbeing: The purpose, the people and the outcomes. Sports, 7, 141. https://doi.org/10.3390/sports7060141
Sheldon, K. M., & Lyubomirsky, S. (2006). How to increase and sustain positive emotion: The effects of expressing gratitude and visualizing best possible selves. Journal of Positive Psychology, 1, 73–82.
Shepard, P. (1982). Nature and madness. Sierra Club Books.
Sin, N. L., & Lyubomirsky, S. (2009). Enhancing well-being and alleviating depressive symptoms with positive psychology interventions: A practice-friendly meta-analysis. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 65, 467–487.
Song, C., Ikei, H., Park, B.-J., Lee, J., Kagawa, T., & Miyazaki, Y. (2018). Psychological benefits of walking through forest areas. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 15, 2084. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15122804
Steger, M. F. (n.d.) Chinese translation of the Meaning in Life Questionnaire. Retrieved from: http://www.michaelfsteger.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/MLQ-Chinese_traditional.pdf
Steger, M. F., Frazier, P., Oishi, S., & Kaler, M. (2006). The Meaning in Life Questionnaire: Assessing the presence of and search for meaning in life. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 53, 80–93.
Tam, K.-P. (2013). Concepts and measures related to connection to nature: Similarities and differences. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 34, 64–78. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2013.01.004
Ulrich, R. S. (1983). Aesthetic and affective response to natural environment. In I. Altman & J. Wohlwill (Eds.), Behavior and the natural environment (pp. 85–125). Plenum Press.
van Agteren, J., Iasiello, M., Lo, L., Brtholomaeus, J., Zopsaftis, Z., Carey, M., & Kyrios, M. (2021). A systematic review and meta-analysis of psychological interventions to improve mental wellbeing. Nature Human Behaviour, 5, 631–652. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-021-01093-w
Wang, K., Shi, H.-S., Geng, F.-L., Zou, L.-Q., Tan, S.-P., Wang, Y., Neumann, D. L., Shum, D. H. K., & Chan, R. C. K. (2016). Cross-cultural validation of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 in China. Psychological Assessment, 28(5):e88-e100.pas0000207
Watson, D., Clark, L. A., & Tellegen, A. (1988). Development and validation of brief measures of positive and negative affect: The PANAS scales. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 54, 1063–1070.
Weiss, L. A., Westerhof, G. J., & Bohlmeijer, E. T. (2016). Can we increase psychological well-being? The effects of interventions on psychological well- being: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. PLoS ONE, 11(6), e0158092. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0158092
Wilson, E. O. (1984). Biophilia: The human bond with other species. Harvard University Press.
Wolf, L. J., Zu Ermgassen, S., Balmford, A., White, M., & Weinstein, N. (2017). Is variety the spice of life? An experimental investigation into the effects of species richness on self-reported mental well-being. PLoS ONE, 12, 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0170225
Wood, E., Harsant, A., Dallimer, M., de Chavet, A. C., McEachan, R. R. C., & Hassall, C. (2018). Not all green space is created equal: Biodiversity predicts psychological restorative benefits from urban space. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, 2320. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02320
Xiong, C. Q., & Xu, Y. L. (2009). Reliability and validity of the satisfaction with life scale for Chinese people. China Journal of Health Psychology, 17(8), 948–949.
Yuen, M. (2002). Retrieved from: https://commondatastorage.googleapis.com/eddiener/uploads/version/file/82/SWLS_Chinese.pdf
Funding
This work was supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
Not applicable.
Ethics Approval
This study was conducted while Holli-Anne Passmore was affiliated with the University of British Columbia. This study was approved by the University of British Columbia’s UBC Okanagan Behavioural Research Ethics Board; H16-02868.
Consent to Participate
All participants signed consent forms prior to beginning the study.
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Passmore, HA., Yang, Y. & Sabine, S. An Extended Replication Study of the Well-Being Intervention, the Noticing Nature Intervention (NNI). J Happiness Stud 23, 2663–2683 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-022-00516-3
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-022-00516-3