Nature lifts when feeling low: Daily high and low awe nature clips decrease repetitive negative thinking and dampening and increase subjective happiness in adults

Abstract

AbstractExposure to nature can enhance mental well‐being, making nature‐based interventions promising for the treatment and prevention of mental health problems like depression. Given the decreased self‐focus and sense of self‐diminishment associated with awe, the present study investigated the impact of exposure to awe‐evoking nature on two key risk and maintenance factors of depression—repetitive negative thinking (RNT) and dampening of positive feelings—and on subjective happiness. In a randomized controlled trial, we tested the effects of exposure to awe‐evoking nature clips through a 1‐week intervention, consisting of watching a 1‐min clip on a daily basis of either awe‐evoking (n high awe = 108) or more mundane nature scenes (n low awe = 105). Before, immediately after (post‐intervention) and 1 week after the intervention (follow‐up), participants completed self‐report scales probing RNT, dampening, and subjective happiness. Results indicated significant decreases in these outcomes at post‐intervention and follow‐up in both groups. We discuss study limitations, touch upon future research ideas, and reflect upon the role of nature for clinical applications.