Ignite Presentation - 5 minutes International Positive Psychology Association 8th IPPA World Congress 2023

Efficacy of two nature-based Positive Psychology Interventions compared to “Three Good Things” (#120)

Holli-Anne Passmore 1 , Paul K Lutz 2 , Andrew J Howell 3 , Ying Yang 4 , Miles Richardson 5
  1. Psychology, Concordia University of Edmonton, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
  2. Psychology, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
  3. Psychology, MacEwan University, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
  4. Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing, China
  5. Psychology, University of Derby, Derby, United Kingdom

Background:  Despite a wealth of literacy demonstrating the salubrious effects of connecting with nature, few specific nature-based Positive Psychology Interventions (PPIs) have been developed. Two such PPIs, however, are the Noticing Nature Intervention (NNI; Passmore & Holder, 2017; Passmore et al., 2022: “Notice how the nature you encounter in your everyday routine makes you feel.”) and the Three Good Things in Nature Intervention (3GTiN; McEwan et al., 2019; Richardson & Sheffield, 2017: “Note three good things about the nature you encounter.”).

Aims:  We tested the efficacy of these nature-based PPIs to boost wellbeing compared to the standard (or slightly modified) common PPI, Three Good Things (3GT).

Method:  In Study 1, participants from Canada, China, and the United States (N = 784) were randomly assigned to engage daily, for two weeks, in either the NNI, a placebo-activity, or the standard Three Good Things PPI. In Study 2, participants from Canada and the United Kingdom (N = 330) were randomly assigned to engage daily, for one week, in either the 3GTiN or a modified version of 3GT (“Note three good things about your day”) intervention. Pre- and post measures of elevation, transcendent connectedness, and affect balance were administered.

Results:  Participants who engaged in a nature-based PPI reported significantly higher levels of elevation (ds=0.54, 0.40) and transcendent connectedness (ds = 0.37, 0.29) compared to those who engaged in the 3GT intervention. Equivalence analyses revealed that the nature-based PPIs were equivalent to 3GT at boosting affect balance [dupper-lower boundaries = 0.25).

Conclusion:  Results suggest that not only are nature-based PPIs effective at boosting wellbeing, they may be unique in their ability to boost aspects of wellbeing relating to experiencing a sense of elevation (which includes feeling spiritually uplifted, morally elevated, deeply appreciative, and profoundly touched) and a grand, transcendent sense of connectedness to all of life.

 

  1. 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
  2. Passmore, H.-A., Yang, Y., & Sabine, S. (2022). An extended replication study of the well-being intervention, the Noticing Nature Intervention (NNI). Journal of Happiness Studies, 23(6), 2663-2683. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-022-00516-3
  3. Richardson, M., & Sheffield, D. (2017). Three good things in nature: Noticing nearby nature brings increases in connection with nature. Bilingual Journal of Environmental Psychology, 8(1), 1-32. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/21711976.2016.1267136
  4. McEwan, K., Richardson, M., Sheffield, D., Fergusn, F. J., & Brindley, P. (2019). A smartphone app for improving mental health through connected with urban nature. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16, 3373. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16183373
  • Please select up to 3 keywords from the following list to best describe your submission content: Environment and Nature, Positive emotions