Power of nature : exploring the effect of microscopic nature exposure on children's perceived stress, attention, and prosociality in Hong Kong

Abstract

Microscopic nature exposure has been found to promote stress recovery, attention restoration, and prosocial behaviors. Connectedness to nature has also been found to influence such effects by foreign studies. Nevertheless, the impacts of microscopic nature on Hong Kong’s children remain unclear. This study investigated into the effects of microscopic nature exposure towards children’s perceived stress, attention capacity and preferences in making prosocial decisions. It also examined the role of connectedness to nature in such effects. Data were collected from 64 students across different age groups and level of education. Statistical analyses reflected that microscopic nature exposure did not have any significant effects on the aforementioned constructs. On the other hand, despite insignificant role of connectedness to nature on the nature’s restorative effects, it showed significant predictive power towards students’ tendencies to engage in more prosocial behaviors. Such findings highlighted the importance of connectedness to nature in promoting prosociality. The study has also provided multiple insights and directions for future nature-based intervention programs and future research directions.