Girls and Greenery

1. Girls and Greenery

2. A study conducted by Andrea Faber Taylor, Frances E. Kuo, and William C. Sullivan Natural Resources & Environmental Sciences University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

3. With funding from • The Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture • The USDA Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry Program on the recommendation of the National Urban and Community Forestry Advisory Council

4. Take home message

5. Take home message Girls with a view of nature at home scored higher on tests of self-discipline.

6. Presentation outline • Why Study Girls and Greenery? • The Approach • The Findings • So What?

7. Why Study Girls and Greenery?

8. Inner-city girls are prone to risky behaviors: • academic underachievement • juvenile delinquency • teenage pregnancy • substance abuse

9. To avoid these problem behaviors, girls need to have self-discipline.

10. Daily exposure to greenery may boost girls’ self-discipline.

11. Exposure to greenery enhances the ability to deliberately pay attention… GreenerViews Better attention

12. One explanation for how greenery improves attention comes from Attention Restoration Theory(Kaplan, S. 1995) Green views Better attention ?

13. According to Attention Restoration Theory • Nature is engaging, so attracts our attention effortlessly. • This allows deliberate attention to rest. • Restored deliberate attention is then available when needed.

14. If our deliberate attention is restored, then our capacity for self-discipline should benefit. Better attention Greater self-discipline

15. Self-discipline exists in three forms: • concentration

16. Self-discipline exists in three forms: • concentration • impulse inhibition

17. Self-discipline exists in three forms: • concentration • impulse inhibition • delay of gratification

18. The following study explored whether exposure to greenery does lead to greater self-discipline in children. Green views Better attention Greater self-discipline

19. The Approach

20. The Robert Taylor Homes were chosen as a research site because • buildings are similar; only the quantity of nearby vegetation differs

21. The Robert Taylor Homes were chosen as a research site because • buildings are similar; only the quantity of nearby vegetation differs • residents are randomly assigned to buildings

22. The Robert Taylor Homes were chosen as a research site because • buildings are similar; only the quantity of nearby vegetation differs • residents are randomly assigned to buildings • residents have similar characteristics

23. The participants were • recruited by door-to-door interviewers

24. The participants were • recruited by door-to-door interviewers • 169 mother or primary care-giver and child (7-12 year old) pairs

25. The participants were • recruited by door-to-door interviewers • 169 mother or primary care-giver and child (7-12 year old) pairs • from 12 buildings that represented the full range of amount of nature visible from home

26. Data collection For each mother-child pair, the trained resident interviewer • asked the mother or care-giver to give both a “green” rating and a “built” rating of their apartment’s views.

27. Data collection Barren Views Green Views

28. Data collection For each mother-child pair, the trained resident interviewer • asked the mother or care-giver to give both a “green” rating and a “built” rating of their apartment’s views. • administered standardized tests of • self-discipline to the child

29. Data collection The standardized tests included tasks that measured the ability to • concentrate • inhibit impulses • delay gratification

30. ? Green views Greater self-discipline Adults asked, “How natural is your view?” • Children tested on • concentration • impulse inhibition • delay of gratification

31. The Findings

32. For girls, was self-discipline related to the amount of greenery in views from home?

33. 2 2 1.5 1.5 2 1 1 1.5 .5 .5 1 0 .5 0 0 -.5 -.5 -.5 -1 -1 -1 1 2 3 4 0 0 1 2 3 4 3 0 1 2 4 All forms of self-discipline were related to green views from home Concentration Impulse inhibition Delay of gratification High scores Test scores Low scores Barren Very green Barren Very green Barren Very green Greenness of Apartment Views

34. Self-discipline increases as the greenness of the view increases High scores 2 1.5 1 Combined self-discipline test scores .5 0 -.5 Low scores -1 0 1 2 3 4 Barren Very green Greenness of Apartment Views

35. On average, the greener a girl’s view from home: • the better she concentrates • the less she acts impulsively • the longer she delays gratification

36. …in short, the better her self-discipline.

37. For boys, self-discipline was not affected by the view from home.

38. For boys, self-discipline was not affected by the view from home… why not?

39. Two studies have shown that boys’ attention is better after playing in greener places.

40. Nature may affect boys just as much as girls. But because boys spend less time at home than girls, near-home nature affects boys less.

41. Future studies may find that boys’ self-discipline is related to the amount of nature in their play area – wherever that is.

42. So What?

43. Lack of self-discipline may play a key role in: • teenage pregnancies • juvenile delinquencies • substance abuse • academic • underachievement

44. A self-disciplined girl will better handle • peer pressure • sexual pressure • challenging situations

45. And, she will • make more thoughtful choices • do better in school

46. Since greenery near home increases self-discipline in girls…

47. And greenery in usual play areas may eventually be shown to improve self-discipline in boys…

48. We should provide access to green views for all children.

49. Ideas for parents, caregivers, and homeowners: • Encourage girls to study or play in rooms with a view of nature

50. Ideas for parents, caregivers, and homeowners: • Encourage girls to study or play in rooms with a view of nature • Encourage children to play in green spaces and advocate recess in green school yards