# Is scenery mandatory for restoration? Attention restoration without visual nature elements

## TL;DR

This study shows that non-visual elements of nature, like sounds and scents, can help restore attention and promote physiological recovery, even without visual scenery.

## Contribution

The study introduces the role of non-visual nature elements in attention restoration, challenging the focus on visual stimuli.

## Key findings

- Multisensory nature-like environments with or without visual stimuli both promoted physiological benefits like parasympathetic activation.
- Subjective restoration was enhanced by visual stimuli, but objective physiological recovery was not significantly affected by their presence.
- Non-visual nature elements can independently support restorative effects, suggesting broader design possibilities.

## Abstract

This study examines the contribution of non-visual nature elements in attention restoration, addressing a gap in research that often prioritizes visual stimuli. While previous studies emphasize visual components, this research investigates whether attention restoration can occur in the absence of visual input.

A within-subject experiment involving 47 participants compared three conditions: a multisensory nature-like environment (visual, auditory, olfactory, and tactile stimuli), a similar environment without visual stimuli, and a control condition with no nature-like stimuli.

A discrepancy between subjective and objective measures was observed. Although self-reported restoration was improved by the existence of visual stimuli, both multisensory nature-like conditions promoted significant physiological benefits (parasympathetic activation and sympathetic deactivation were indicated from heart rate variability and electrodermal activity) with no substantial differences between the presence or absence of visual stimuli. No statistical significance was found in cognitive measures among all conditions.

These findings challenge the vision-centric paradigm of restorative environments and highlight the potential of auditory, olfactory, and tactile stimuli to independently foster physiological recovery. By incorporating multisensory elements of nature, this study underscores the importance of non-visual modalities in restorative design. Practical implications include the development of restorative environments for urban spaces or healthcare settings where visual access to nature is limited.