Human Factors often attempts to combat the effects of stress on human productivity through such tools as, automation, ergonomics, and training in the workplace but traditional human factors routes may not always be sufficient. Some organizations (e.g., military and civilian) may always suffer some degree of stress which may inadvertently disturb personal individual outcomes and resultant organizational outcomes, traditionally of macroergonomic concern. Positive bionomic effects on humans are well documented in other fields and being introduced here for consideration as a viable resource, possibly supplement, to traditional human factors/macroergonomic tools. Two models of this bionomic theory for human factors applications are presented for improving individual and organizational, physical, psychological, and social outcomes.
ChristianJ. (2005). All creatures great and small: Utilizing equine-assisted therapy to treat eating disorders. Journal of Psychology and Christianity, 24(1), 65–67.
DietteG. B.LechtzinN.HaponikE.DevrotesA.RubinH. R. (2003). Distraction therapy with nature sights and sounds reduces pain during flexible bronchoscopy: A complementary approach to routine analgesia. Chest: The Cardiopulmonary and Critical Care Journal, 123, 941–948.
6.
FredricksonL. M.AndersonD. H. (1999). A qualitative exploration of the wilderness experience as a source of spiritual inspiration. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 19, 21–39.
7.
HartigT.EvansG. W.JamnerL. D.DavisD. S.GarlingT. (2003). Tracking restoration in natural and urban field settings. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 23, 109–123.
8.
HerzogT. R.ChenH. C.PrimeauJ. S. (2002). Perception of the restorative potential of natural and other settings. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 22, 295–306.
9.
HietanenJ. K.KorpelaK. M. (2004). Do both negative and positive environmental scenes elicit rapid affective processing?Environment and Behavior, 36(4), 558–577.
IikuraY.SakamotoY.ImaiT.AkaiL.MatsuokaT.SugiharaK. (2001). Dolphin-assisted seawater therapy for severe atopic dermatitis: An immunological and psychological study. International Archives of Allergy and Immunology, 124, 389–390. Retrieved November 16, 2005, from http://www.karger.com/journals/iaa.
13.
KaplanR. (2001). The nature of the view from home. Environment and Behavior, 33(4), 507–542.
14.
KorpelaK. M.KlemettilaT.HietanenJ. K. (2002). Evidence for rapid affective evaluation of environmental scenes. Environment and Behavior, 34(5), 634–650.
15.
KuoF. E. (2001). Coping with poverty: Impacts of environment and attention in the inner city. Environment and Behavior, 33(1), 5–34.
16.
KuoF. E.SullivanW. C. (2001a). Environment and crime in the inner city: Does vegetation reduce crime?Environment and Behavior, 33(3), 343–367.
17.
KuoF. E.SullivanW. C. (2001b). Aggression and violence in the inner city: Effects of environment via mental fatigue. Environment and Behavior, 33(4), 543–571.
18.
LaumannK.GarlingT.StormarkK. M. (2003). Selective attention and heart rate responses to natural and urban environments. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 23, 125–134.
19.
National Institute of Mental Health. (2001, Updated: 06/10/2005). The numbers count. NIMH.NIH.gov, NIH Publication No. 01–4584. Retrieved November 15, 2005, from http://www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/numbers.cfm.
20.
Natural Resource Defense Council. (2005). The Bush Record. In NRDC: EPA weakens mercury reduction requirements for power plants (chap.) Retrieved November 16, 2005, from http://www.nrdc.org/bushrecord/default.asp.
21.
ParsonsR.TassinaaryL. G.UlrichR. S.HeblM. R.Grossman-AlexanderM. (1998). The view from the road: Implications for stress recovery and immunization. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 18, 113–139.
PrettyJ.PeacockJ.SellensM.GriffinM. (2005). The mental and physical health outcomes of green exercise. International Journal of Environmental Health Research, 15(5), 319–337.
24.
SonnentagS.FreseM. (2003). Stress in organizations. In BormanW. C.IlgenD. R.KlimoskiR. J. (Eds.), Comprehensive handbook of psychology, Volume 12: Industrial and organizational psychology (pp. 453–491). Hoboken: Wiley.
25.
TaylorA. F.KuoF. E.SullivanW. C. (2001). Coping with ADD: The surprising connection to green play settings. Environment and Behavior, 33(1), 54–77.
26.
TennessenC. M.CimprichB. (1995). Views to nature: Effects on attention. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 15, 77–85.
