In “the Cognitive Benefits of Interacting with Nature”, researchers affirm the restorative value of nature, especially in improving directed-attention in cognitive functioning through two experiments. The first experiment was designed to show how interacting with nature or urban setting would affect directed-attention performance. Directed-attention performance was measured using a backward digit-span task. Experiments conducted this experiment by collecting participants, then having the participants go through a backward digit-span task. Next, the participants either walked fifty to fifty-five minutes through the Ann Arbor Arboretum or downtown Ann Arbor. After the walk, the test subjects were asked to go through the backward digit-span task again.
Results from the first experiment show that backwards digit-span significantly improved when participants walking in nature rather than walking downtown. This means that directed-attention cognitive performance is positively affected by nature. One question not addressed from the study is what makes cognitive performance improve from nature rather than an urban environment. Also, what particular pieces of nature are better for restoring cognitive performance: the trees, grass, flowers, rivers, etc.?
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The experiment was conducted by collecting participants, who were then asked to perform the ANT. Then, some of the participants were shown photographs of nature and some were shown Photographs of urban settings for ten minutes. Afterward, the participants were asked to perform the ANT. The researchers also had the test subjects in experiment two complete the backwards digit-span