Date of Award

2024

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelors

Department

Social Sciences

First Advisor

Cottrell, Catherine

Area of Concentration

Psychology, Environmental Studies

Abstract

More and more of the global population is starting to live in cities, where they may have limited access to meaningful interactions with nature. This not only reduces empathy and concern for the climate as a whole, but also produces tangible effects on the wellbeing of individuals. Incorporating nature into urban landscapes through public green spaces (such as parks) improves mental health and functioning by reducing stress and alleviating mental strain. The current study examines green spaces on a college campus to analyze how the benefits of interacting with nature can be maximized for this specific group. An established scale based in Attention Restoration Theory (Kaplan, 1995) was administered to current college students (N = 25), and data was synthesized into a plan for a public green space that could combine the most effective aspects of each space to theoretically maximize the restorative benefits provided to students. Findings suggest that this hypothetical green space would need to have a water feature, something symbolic of the New College identity, customizable aspects, and close proximity to established campus spaces in order to be most restorative.

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