Nature helps us cope with body image `threats'
Study first to show how natural environments keep negative feelings at
bay

Date:
January 12, 2022
Source:
Anglia Ruskin University
Summary:
A new study has found that being in nature helps people deal with
negative body image by removing some of the triggers of body image
anxiety, such as the focus on social media, and strengthening
coping mechanisms to keep negative feelings in perspective.



FULL STORY ==========================================================================
A new study has found that being in nature helps people deal with
negative body image by removing some of the triggers of body image
anxiety, such as the focus on social media, and strengthening coping
mechanisms to keep negative feelings in perspective.


==========================================================================
The research, published in the journal Ecopsychology, involved 401
participants from the UK, who were asked to complete a survey about
their exposure to nature, "rational acceptance," and body appreciation.

Rational acceptance is a coping mechanism, broadly defined as the way
people rationalise and keep in perspective any feelings of negative body
image that come and go.

The study found positive associations between all three measures in both
men and women.

The paper, the first to look at how exposure to nature can help the
mind cope with temporary feelings of negative body image, concludes
that spending time in natural environments provides opportunities for
healthy body image coping strategies. This may be due to the physical
and mental distancing from the sources of body image threats such as unrealistic appearance standards, mirrors, or social media.

Being in nature may also help individuals develop healthier thought
processes that allow for more realistic appraisals of body image threats
and their future consequences.

Lead author Viren Swami, Professor of Social Psychology at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), said: "There is already evidence that being in nature
in itself promotes positive body image, but this is the first study to
look at how exposure to nature can help the mind cope with temporary
feelings of negative body image that we all experience from time to time,
and keep a sense of perspective.

"Being in nature takes us away from some of the triggers for negative
body image -- Instagram posts, models on billboards, mirrors -- that
we find in urban environments and gives us opportunities to put things
into perspective.

The restorative qualities of these natural environments may also promote healthier cognitive processes, including greater self-control and a
feeling of time passing more slowly, giving us the chance to rationalise
these threats.

"We know that positive body image boosts mental health, and
this study adds weight to the growing body of evidence about the
importance of exposure to nature, and how we need to ensure as a
society that everyone has as much access to natural environments
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always get wrong about diet and exercise. Claim_yours_now_>>> landing.newscientist.com/what-is-new-scientist-sd/ ========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by Anglia_Ruskin_University. Note:
Content may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Viren Swami, Charlotte Robinson, Adrian Furnham. Positive Rational
Acceptance of Body Image Threats Mediates the Association Between
Nature Exposure and Body Appreciation. Ecopsychology, 2022; DOI:
10.1089/ eco.2021.0029 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/01/220112105706.htm
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