erja rappe - psychosocial effects of nature
TRANSCRIPT
01.05.2023
Al
Psychosocial effects of natureGreen Building – Building Green in Cities
Dos. Erja Rappe 26 Aug 2016
01.05.2023
Content
• What is psychosocial?• Psychosocial effects of nature• How to create a positive effect?• Natural boosters• Psychosocial interventions for
– Mental health care– Elderly care– Inmates in prison
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Psychosocial
• Relates to psychological development in and interaction with a social environment.
• In psychosocial, the biological, psychological and social dimensions of human existence are combined.
• Psychosocial interventions are aimed to provide ”normal life” when people are affected by challenging life situations.
• In terms of care, psychosocial refers to methods promoting coping abilities and use of one’s own resources without medical treatment.
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Psychosocial effects of nature
• Based on nature’s diverse and dynamic affordances which promote cognitive, physical, and social functions.
• Increased activity level and intake of information supports control over one’s environment and life course.
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Autonomy and environmental information
”The more one knows about one’s environment, the more autonomous one can be for any given level of competence”
Lawton, 1985
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Psychosocial effects of nature
• Nature provides stimuli for the senses which attracts attention – Alleviates stress, distress
and pain or reduce awareness of them.
– Elevates mood
Supports appropriate and positive behavior and performance.
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Psychosocial effects of nature
• Provides hope to one’s life which in turn motivates for living.
• Supports self-confidence and self-efficacy
• Creates feelings of freedom and relief.
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Psychosocial effects of nature
• Contributes the aesthetic capital of environment which is considered to be important for health and wellbeing.
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Psychosocial effects of nature
• Contributes to social interaction and participation.
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Psychosocial effects of nature
• Healthy development of children requires contact with nature– Human being is part of
nature, still!– Living things are real.– Understanding of causal
relationships.
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Psychosocial effects of nature
• Psychosocial effects provided by nature are not specific but could meet different needs in various settings.
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Steps to positive effects
1. Sensual stimuli 2. Feelings of safety and
security3. Senses of purpose,
signifigance and belonging
4. Autonomy: possibilities to do choices based on one’s own preferences.
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Boosters of psychosocial effects1. Biodiversity
– Increases affordances– Contributes to aesthetic
capital
2. Multisensual experiences– Easy to interpret– Activate– Strenghten the experience
of existence and sense of belonging.
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Psychosocial interventions in care work
• Parks and gardens have been included in care settings for centuries.
• Nature interventions are commonly used in mental health care, elderly care, and in prisons.
• The spesific needs of clients highlight the desirable effects of the interventions.
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Mental health care
• Alleviate distress, aggression, anxiety, and depression.
• Awake and create emotions which help to identify and name different feelings.
• Draw attention outside one’s self and problems and by doing so activate to action.
• Provide comfort.
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Elderly care• Sensual stimuli are
comprehensible without demanding cognitive appraisals– Maintain connections both to
one’s physical and social environment and to one’s inner self.
– Support coping– Particularly important to
persons having cognitive diseases.
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Elderly care
• Perceptions awake emotions, memories, and associations which reaffirm one’s identity and support its continuity.
• Sensations activate to occupations which provide meaning for life.
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Inmates in prison
• Nature’s aesthetic is appreciated – Contributes the development
of empathy and responsibility• Experiences of nature
inside fences widen the lifespace and decrease feeling of fear and stress.
• Nature refers to mental freedom.
Doc. Erja rappe
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Action for good ageing.
Erja [email protected]
ikainstituutti.fi
Thank you for your attention!