Date Approved

2026

Degree Type

Open Access Senior Honors Thesis

Department or School

Psychology

First Advisor

Rusty McIntyre, Ph.D.

Second Advisor

Heather Janisse, Ph.D.

Third Advisor

Natalie Dove, Ph.D.

Abstract

The importance of nature in our everyday lives has been well documented and researched. Theories such as the Biophilia Hypothesis, Stress Reduction Theory, and Attention Restoration Theory each attempt to explain why nature influences psychological states. The present research examined the influence of nature in office settings, such that offices with real nature would be seen as more appealing. It was hypothesized that participants would view offices with real plants and nature within or near the settings would be seen as more appealing as compared to similar offices with either AI-Generated nature or no nature within or near the office settings. Seventyeight participants were presented with one of three office types (real, AI-generated, or no nature) and then evaluated their interest in the offices, ratings of lighting, as well as Vitrivian ratings of the architectural concepts of durability, utility, and aesthetics. Results confirmed the major hypotheses, such that participants who viewed real nature in offices show more interest in the offices, preferences for lighting, and more expected longevity as compared to participants in the other office settings. Additionally, this trend was also seen for utility and aesthetic architectural details. Additionally, their research also found that these effects were moderated by reductions in stress as measured by pre-post PANAS totals, thus supporting the theoretical postulates of Stress Reduction Theory. These findings are seen as having implications for now nature exposures affect measures of psychological functioning both generally, as well as within workplace settings.

Download

EMU Library Accessibility Request

Included in

Psychology Commons

Share

COinS