Psychological restoration and environment meaning attribution: pathways approach / Vías para la restauración psicológica y la atribución de significado al entorno

Abstract

Nature has become an object of interest due to its restorative properties. To explain this phenomenon, research has identified various variables that potentially act as mediating mechanisms in perceiving its restorativeness. Traditionally, this effect has been attributed to the properties of these environments while little attention has been paid to the meaning attributed by people and how it might change the way these environments are perceived. The present study (n = 562) aims to analyse the mediating mechanisms in the relationship between natural environments and restoration. Secondly, it investigates the impact of the meaning assigned to a specific environment on the perception of its restorative outcome. The results indicate that certain pathways play a mediating role in explaining the restorativeness perceived by individuals (such as social relationships, stress, contact, meaning and emotion). Additionally, the study reveals that the restorative outcomes of natural environments diminish when they are associated with negative messages. Therefore, the importance of considering the conceptions of environments when trying to promote the restoration of people based on them is highlighted.