Nature-Deficit Disorder and the Restorative Environment

"Those who walked in the nature preserve performed better than the other participants on a standard proofreading task.  They also reported more positive emotions and less anger."  (Hartig 7)



This statement makes a lot of sense to me.  Of course someone who chose their activity in a nature setting would feel more peaceful and good about themselves then they would watching T.V. or listening to music.  I know when I am cooped up in my room I start to over think things and feel bored.  When I'm outside laying by the pool or studying outside cause the weather is nice, I feel great inside.  I feel more happy and alive.  Our attention span is better when we are outside in nature then it is when we are inside.  Maybe it's because we have different things to look at and their beautiful because it's unexplainable.

  

Girl studying outdoors. Photo by GettyPhotos.

  

"Positive influence of near-home nature on concentration may be more pronounced for girls than for boys."  (Louv 8)

I don't necessarily see how they can say that girls have a more positive attitude towards life than boys do.  I think it would be equal not gender oriented difference especially because it's nature.  Nature is everywhere and influences everyone, boys and girls.  I believe everyone that steps out into nature are going to have a more positive influence on concentration.  We all concentrate more when we are surrounded by nature rather then be indoors.  We get distracted more when we are inside because of the T.V. or eating or listening to music.

                                        Photo of little kids playing with nature. Photo by Webmaster.

"The society that has disengaged the child from nature is most certainly disordered." (Louv 11)

This couldn't be any more from the truth.  I think this society is more reliant on technology making their kids happy or better test scores in schools rather then having recess for exercise.  Either way this society is forgetting all about nature and children that should be experiencing it.  Taking nature away from a child is utter nonsense.  We are becoming a society who is lazy and too relied on technology.  I think a lot of people are forgetting about nature and the importance of being active and experiencing the outside world around us.  

                                     Photo of kids with technology indoors. Photo by aupairusa.


"Encourage girls to study or play in rooms with a view of nature."  (Louv 9)

If they encourage just girls to be by a nature-viewed setting when they are studying or playing then why shouldn't boys do the same?  I thought it was weird that they didn't mention boys.  I don't agree with the fact that we should be encouraging just girls to be placed near nature.  I think boys should be too.  Boys and girls are the same learning wise and shouldn't be broken up into two groups when it comes to this example involving nature.

 

Children learning nature.  Photo by islandwood.