The Use of Nature for Emotion Regulation: Toward a Conceptual Framework

Abstract

Abstract

The intention of this work is to explore the concept of emotion regulation in nature. Natural environments can potentially have direct and indirect effects on emotional processes—directly by activating or reducing emotions, and indirectly by influencing other important processes related to emotions or emotion regulation. Executive functioning and certain aspects of self-regulation are fundamental for emotion regulation, and research indicates that exposure to nature may have a beneficial impact on these functions, for example, by making it easier to think about feelings. Research also demonstrates that exposure to nature may increase positive emotions and decrease negative emotions. In general, people may be more or less aware of the effects of nature and more or less inclined to regulate emotion in nature. However, natural environments can be used instrumentally to achieve emotional effects, and there is reason to believe that some people do so. The regulation of emotion in nature can be considered as belonging to the situation selection and situation modification stages in the process model of emotion regulation. Individual differences in how environments are perceived, and in strategies for regulating emotions, indicate that for some people the presence of nature may be central to psychological health.