The relative effects of cognitive, emotional and physiological factors on human response to urban and park environments

Studies on the effect of urban and green environments on human risk to health and well-being tend to focus on either physiological or cognitive and emotional effects. For each of these effects, several indicators have been proposed. They are determined either by a physiological-emotional theory or by a cognitive theory of direct attention. However, the interrelationships between these indices have not been thoroughly investigated. Recently, a neurovisceral model that incorporates all three aspects has been proposed. Furthermore, it appears that the autonomic system, as measured by Heart Rate Variability (HRV), influences emotional and cognitive performance. The present article focuses on the interrelations among nine commonly used indices that represent the physiological, emotional and cognitive aspects of environmental response to urban and green environments. Path analysis and principal component analysis are used in order to identify the interrelations among the physiological, cognitive and emotional indices and the directions of these interrelations. According to the findings, the autonomic nervous system (ANS), as measured by HRV and primarily the parasympathetic tone (High frequency -HF) is the pivotal mechanism that modulates emotions and cognition in response to environmental nuisances. The ANS response precedes and may trigger the emotional and cognitive responses, which are only partially interrelated. It appears that the autonomic balance measured by SDNN and HF, the cognitive index of restoration and the emotional indices of discomfort and relaxation are closely interrelated. These seemingly disparate operands work together to form a comprehensive underlying network that causes stress and risk to health in urban environments while restoring health in green environments. The relative effects of cognitive, emotional and physiological factors on human response to urban and park environments