Evidence of the connection between landscape beauty and emotions, not only in the midst of nature.
How could this happen? I am the first to say that on vacations it is better not to go on vacation if you love peace and quiet. Yet, other than crowds, this time the choice was a winner.
I am on a small balcony suspended amidst the green hillside, from which I enjoy the view of Golfo Paradiso and Punta Chiappa, the expanse of the sea, the wakes of the goiters; the border with the sky I can hardly make out. The town of Camogli clings to the mountain with its colorful houses overlooking the sea. I took a brisk walk among the olive trees, breakfast with fruit and yogurt, and now I am reading a book, my companion in life.
But I could also do nothing; just stand here and enjoy the scenery and I would still be happy. My vantage point, the scenic landscape helps to be happy.
This is also said by Dr. George MacKerron of the University of Sussex.
There are so many definitions and ideas of happiness. I believe that happiness, real happiness, does not depend on anything external and is within us. I believe that substance is beyond form.
Around this time, however, an article came out telling us about a study showing that spending time in scenic places increases happiness.
The beauty of the environment you are in affects the happiness you feel. There are several studies that prove the link between being in nature and well-being. What is new about this study is that this happens not only in natural places, as suggested by the biophilia hypothesis, biophilia hypothesis, which argues that evolutionary pressures have led us to seek connection with nature and that we experience positive emotions more readily when we are in a natural setting.
It happens even in urban areas and regardless of whether you are resting or vacationing; it is due to the perception that a place is particularly scenic. Not only presence of nature, then, but also aesthetic appeal.
“What is interesting about this research I think is that it shows that even a small injection of beauty into an area of a city can create happiness for thousands of people who are exposed to it.”
Chanuki Seresinhe
The article by Seresinhe, C. I., Preis, T., MacKerron, G., & Moat, H. S. details the methodology of the study, transparently points out its limitations (because it could also be the state of mind that influences, on the contrary, how we see places) and characteristics. It tells how, at the London School of Economics and Political Science, they measured perceived happiness from data collected with the smartphone app Mappiness and how they rated the beauty of scenery from the online game Scenic-Or-Not. A total of 22,000 people were involved, analyzed one million responses.
The beauty of the landscape around us affects our happiness, and even the urban environment can make us feel happy if it is scenic and we like it. What I feel and perceive on several occasions, and you probably experience as well, is confirmed by some research.
Let us take this into account:
- When we choose where to live and work;
- whether we are entrepreneurs and want our employees to be happy and, therefore, productive;
- in our cities, because choices about the urban landscape affect how we feel.
And let’s surround ourselves with beauty, let’s find places where we can relax, stroll, walk even in our daily routine, wide open spaces full of light, let’s find scenic secret corners inour cities, because all this fills us with positive emotions.
Dedicating a moment to yourself even in the city, in your everyday life, is possible in a very pleasant, healthy and simple way, without the need for special equipment or constraints, thanks to mindful walking, walking meditation.
Sources
Seresinhe, C. I., Preis, T., MacKerron, G., & Moat, H. S. (2019). Happiness is Greater in More Scenic Locations. Scientific Reports, 9(1), 4498. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-40854-6
MacKerron, G., & Mourato, S. (2013). Happiness is greater in natural environments. Global Environmental Change, 23(5), 992-1000. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2013.03.010
Intagliata, C. (2019). Scenic City Sights Linked to Higher Happiness. Retrieved April 22, 2019, from Scientific American website: https://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode/scenic-city-sights-linked-to-higher-happiness/
