Knowing and experiencing the benefits: Factors influencing restoration evoked by nature photographs

Nature experiences improve various measures of human wellbeing. Even viewing nature photographs can lead to subjective restoration, as well as improvement in mood and cognitive function. To investigate how merely viewing images can promote such benefits, we investigated in three online studies whether knowledge about beneficial effects related to nature experiences predicts restoration after viewing nature photographs. Following a Pilot Study (N = 224) with limited conclusiveness, we used a between-subjects design in Study 1 (N = 490) and manipulated knowledge about physical and mental health effects related to nature experiences before participants viewed nature photographs and rated them for preference. In Study 1, we found small differences in preference compared to two of the control conditions and for restoration outcome compared to one of the control conditions. In Study 2 (N = 360), we varied between-subjects the assessment of outcome expectancy. Although the assessment itself did not predict restoration, for the respective sub-sample actual restoration was positively related to expected restoration. Moreover, measured knowledge about beneficial effects of nature and - even stronger - reported restorative effects of the participants' last stay in nature positively predicted restoration evoked by the nature photographs. Overall, our results show that knowledge about beneficial effects of nature exposure can be predictive for restoration evoked by visual representations of nature. However, related factors, such as previous experiences and outcome expectancy, may play more important roles than factual knowledge.