Does experiencing nature and poetry separately or together affect our emotions and feelings of interest and restorativeness differently?

Abstract

This study explored how presence of art in a natural environment is experienced, and if combining these elements would improve or impair the experience compared to experiencing the elements separately. Quantitative methods with an experimental between groups design were used, with three conditions (Pure Nature, Pure Poetry, Combined Nature+Poetry). Of the participants, 65% were women. In the Pure Nature condition participants walked a trail in a natural environment, in the Pure Poetry condition participants read poems in a neutral indoor environment and in the Combined Nature + Poetry condition participants read poems at designated stopping points along the trail. We explored participant experiences through measures of positive and negative emotions, curiosity traits, situational interest, appraised complexity and perceived restorativeness. MANOVA was used to compare each of the pure conditions with the combined condition. Results revealed significant differences between the pure and the combined condition, where the Nature + Poetry condition enhanced the nature experience more and in different ways than the poetry experience. Patterns in the findings and their theoretical and practical implications are discussed.