Scientific findings on walking and nature

Exercise and time spent in nature boost our creativity.

Scientists at Stanford University prove in four experiments that walking enables the free flow of our ideas and increases our creative idea generation. Participants who walked outside showed the highest performance in terms of novelty and quality of their creative ideas (Oppezzo & Schwartz 2014).

Scientific research also shows that experiencing nature has a positive effect on our creative abilities. Participants on a four-day hike in nature without access to digital technology increased their creative performance by 50% (Atchley et al. 2012). Another study confirms this effect. Here, an increase in creative performance of 27% was found by participating in a "Forest Therapy Retreat" (Yu & Hsieh 2020).

Qualitative interviews with creative professionals also confirm the positive effect of nature on creativity, particularly in the early phases of a creative process, in the "preparation phase" and "incubation phase" (Plambech & Konijnendijk van den Bosch 2015).

Short interactions with nature strengthen our cognitive abilities and our focus.

Scientists at the University of Michigan were able to prove that walking in nature and even just looking at pictures of nature has a positive effect on our cognitive abilities. In two experiments, participants showed increased attention and focus in various test tasks such as reciting number sequences backwards after interacting with nature (Berman et al. 2008).

The results support the assumption that nature allows us to recover from urban environments and the daily sensory overload of our modern lives. In nature we experience increased indirect attention - the mind can wander and regenerate. We can then approach new tasks stronger and with more focus (Attention Restoration Theory).

Experiencing nature and being close to nature makes us behave more prosocially.

Scientists have found that natural environments, as opposed to man-made environments, increase the valuation of intrinsic aspirations, i.e. those aimed at closer relationships with people and positive effects on the social community. The researchers attribute these effects to the fact that natural environments create experiences that promote autonomy and closeness to nature (Weinstein et al. 2009).

Our ability to perceive and appreciate particularly beautiful nature is also associated with prosocial behavior. In a study involving various experiments, it was found that the subjective perception of “beautiful” (as opposed to less beautiful) nature elicited greater prosocial tendencies in test subjects. Participants were more generous and trusting and showed more willingness to help (Zhang et al. 2014).

There are also findings that show that social relationships experienced during nature experiences can help us gain a new perspective on ourselves or our own lives (Pasanen et al. 2018). This can stimulate our self-reflection. The scientists see this as a positive contribution to promoting better emotional well-being, creativity and the ability to relax.

Joint, synchronous walking and social factors are closely linked.

Researchers have found that people who engage in synchronous activities - for example, synchronous walking together - subsequently behave more cooperatively, even when it comes to making personal sacrifices (Wilthermuth & Heath 2009). There is also an increase in compassion and altruistic behavior (Valdesolo & DeSteno, 2011).

It has also been scientifically proven that our first impression has an influence on how well we get on walking pace with our counterpart when we walk together in silence (Cheng et al. 2020).

Being close to nature can increase our subjectively perceived resilience and help to strengthen us mentally in difficult life situations.

Researchers at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon, have investigated whether our perceived connection with nature correlates with our subjective sense of mental resilience. Their survey of 150 participants did indeed show a moderately positive correlation between the experience of connectedness with nature and perceived psychological resilience. However, the researchers point to differences between different groups of respondents, indicating that socioeconomic factors likely play a moderating role here (Ingulli & Lindbloom 2013).

A 2019 study investigated whether group hikes in nature as resilience-promoting interventions can mitigate the effects of stressful life events on mental health. The scientists were unable to prove a positive effect in their study. However, they did show that group hikes in nature can have a positive effect on mental health in the form of a “reversing” effect in retrospect and thus contribute to greater mental well-being (Marselle et al. 2019).

Any increase in exercise and closeness to nature has a positive effect on our mental and physical well-being. 

According to the WHO, a quarter of the world's population does not get enough exercise (WHO). Sitting is the new smoking and walking more is an easily accessible answer for most people.

A large number of scientific studies also show that time spent in nature can have a positive effect on both our physical health (Park, 2010) and our mental well-being (Capaldi et al. 2014, Morita et al. 2007, Song at al. 2018, Cervinka et al. 2012, Bratman et al. 2015, Korpella et al. 2017). 

In a large-scale study of over 20,000 people in the UK, it was found that participants are happiest in natural environments (MacKerron & Mourato 2013)

We often underestimate how beneficial a natural environment can be for us (Nisbet & Zelenski 2015).

Connectedness with nature can have a positive impact on more sustainable behaviors and thus on the health of the earth.

Reflecting on the deep connection between us humans with and as part of nature can play a major role in overcoming many ecological and sustainability-related challenges of our time (Ives et al. 2017, Stenfors & Wamsler et al. 2015).

One study has shown that people with a higher level of connectedness to nature are more concerned about nature, have a more environmentally friendly attitude and, according to their own statements, also behave in a more environmentally friendly way (Nisbet et al. 2009).

If people only consider empathy or care on an interpersonal level, it can happen that they exclude nature from their care, even though an intact nature is crucial for a good life for us humans (out-group effect). If, on the other hand, empathy is trained with a focus on nature or the planet, people are also ncluded. This helps to solve complex sustainability challenges (Miles, 2024).

Research has also shown a connection between closeness to nature and our well-being (“happiness”) and suggests that sustainable behavior and happiness can be increased simultaneously if we promote closeness to nature (Zelenski & Nisbet 2014).

The business world is also paying more attention to this topic. Why “business people” should strengthen their connection to nature for the benefit of their organizations and our planet is described in this interesting article at MIT Sloan.