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It's probably no surprise that nature is beneficial to our mental health.
自然對我們的心理健康有益，這可能并不奇怪。
From hitting the beach, to taking a long stroll through the park,
從去海灘到在公園散步，
multiple studies have shown that there's something about nature
多項研究已經表明自然的某種東西
that helps us feel happier, more focused, or just generally better.
能夠讓我們感到更快樂、更專注或者總體感覺更良好。
But why that happens is trickier to figure out.
但要搞清為什么會這樣很難。
From what psychologists can tell, though, it's not just about getting in some sunshine and Vitamin D.
不過，從心理學家的角度來看，這不僅僅是曬太陽和獲得維生素D的原因。
Instead, it might have to do with our sense of belonging.
相反，這可能與我們的歸屬感有關。
The idea that nature is healing isn't a new one,
自然能夠治愈的觀點并不新鮮，
and exposure to natural environments has been an important part of mental health treatments for a long time.
長期以來，接觸自然環境一直是心理健康治療的重要組成部分。
As early as the Middle Ages, monasteries for those with mental illnesses created so-called restorative gardens.
早在中世紀，為精神疾病患者修建的修道院就創建了所謂的療養花園。
And in the 1800s, people designing mental hospitals would try
在19世紀，設計精神病院的人會嘗試
and make sure their buildings were surrounded by acres of natural land.
并保證他們的建筑物被大片的自然風景所包圍。
So far, modern research really supports this idea, too.
到目前為止，現代研究也確實支持這一觀點。
Studies have shown that being exposed to nature, whether it's a wilderness preserve or a tree-lined city street,
研究已經表明，接觸大自然，不管它是荒野保護區還是綠樹成蔭的城市街道，
can improve wellbeing in a bunch of ways, both in those with and without clinical conditions.
都能讓有或沒有臨床癥狀的人在很多方面改善幸福感。
For example, a 2011 meta-analysis looked at studies involving a total of almost 850 participants, mostly students.
例如，2011年的一項薈萃分析著眼于對近850名參與者的研究，其中大部分是學生。
It found that exercising in a natural environment
它發現在自然環境中鍛煉
resulted in higher feelings of revitalization than doing the same exercise indoors.
比在室內做同樣的鍛煉更能讓人感覺有活力。
And another study from 2012 found that walking through nature for 50 minutes
2012年的另一項研究發現，在自然中漫步50分鐘
provided a mood boost and other cognitive benefits for twenty participants with depression.
為20位患有抑郁癥的參與者提供了情緒提高和其他認知上的好處。
There's also evidence to suggest that those with schizophrenia, ADHD,
還有證據表明精神分裂癥（ADHD）患者
and a whole host of other illnesses experience similar benefits from just taking in a little scenery.
還有很多患有其他疾病的人只要欣賞一點兒風景，就會獲得類似的好處。
So far, there are several factors that have been floated around as possible explanations for this.
到目前為止，已有幾個因素被提出作為它的可能解釋了。
One is that nature allows us to recover from stress and attention fatigue.
一種觀點是大自然讓我們從壓力和注意力疲勞中恢復過來。
This is the idea that urban environments have too many things competing for our attention.
該觀點認為城市環境有太多的東西在爭奪我們的注意力
Other studies suggest that nature offers exercise opportunities, facilitation of social interaction and development,
其他研究表明，自然通常能提供鍛煉機會，促進社會互動和發展，
and opportunities for personal development in general.
以及提供個人發展的機會。
But a lot of these factors haven't been investigated in rigorous depth.
但這些因素中有很多還沒有得到深入研究。
They also don't really explain the mechanisms of how we gain psychological benefits just from existing in nature,
我們只是接觸自然，而不是在大自然中跑來跑去，和朋友一起享受大自然就能獲得心理益處，
rather than running around in nature, chilling with friends with nature.
這其中的機制它們還不能真正解釋清楚。
In fact, most research on the subject seems to describe the mechanisms as 'elusive'.
事實上，大多數關于這一課題的研究似乎都將這一機制描述為“難以捉摸”。
Which is psychologist speak for, "We dunno. We're workin' on it."
心理學家會說：“我們不知道，我們正研究它呢。”
Still, that doesn't mean we don't have a hypotheses or two.
盡管如此，這并不意味著我們沒有一兩個假設。
Some researchers argue that these positive effects,
一些研究人員認為，這些積極影響的產生
at least in part, come about because of an increased sense of connectedness to the natural world.
至少在某種程度上是因為人們與自然世界的聯系更緊密了。
One significant experiment about this was published in 2009 in Environment and Behavior,
2009年，《環境與行為》雜志發表了一個關于它的重要實驗，
and it looked at the effect of exposure to nature on mood and problem solving.
該實驗研究了接觸自然對情緒和解決問題的影響。
In this study, 76 students were asked to complete questionnaires on mood,
在這項研究中，76名學生被要求完成關于情緒的問卷調查，
along with the Connectedness with Nature Scale, or CNS, which measures pretty much what the name implies.
它采用的是自然聯結量表（CNS），衡量的內容大致與名字的含義相同。
It asks participants to rate how they feel about some vaguely hippy-ish stuff,
它要求參與者評價他們對有點兒嬉皮的東西的感覺，
like 'Right now I'm feeling a sense of oneness with the natural world'.
比如‘現在我感覺和自然世界是統一的。’
Or 'I'm feeling like the natural world is a community to which I belong'.
或者‘我覺得自然世界是我所屬的社區。’
After rating 13 of those peace and love statements,
在評價了13個這樣和平與愛的陳述后，
the students were split into two groups, and bundled onto buses for a field trip.
這些學生分成兩組，并匆匆搭上巴士進行實地考察。
They took a 20-minute drive to either a nature reserve or a downtown parking lot.
他們驅車20分鐘來到自然保護區或市中心的停車場。
Then, they spent around 15 minutes silently walking, sitting,
然后他們花了大約15分鐘靜靜地散步、坐著、
and taking in the scenery before filling out those questionnaires again.
欣賞風景，之后再次填寫這些調查問卷。
The results showed that participants who went to the nature reserve
結果表明，去自然保護區的參與者
reported significantly more of a mood boost from their trip.
報告稱他們的旅行大大改善了自己的情緒。
Their feelings of being connected to nature were also higher than those who took a stroll in the parking lot.
與那些在停車場散步的人相比，他們與自然的親密感也更高了。
Now, this in itself isn't massively surprising.
這本身并不太令人驚訝。
You can imagine it's probably hard to feel at one with the universe standing on a stretch of concrete.
你可以想象，站在一大片混凝土上可能很難感到與宇宙合一。
What was more interesting is that the CNS survey results seemed to mediate the effects of the environment.
更有趣的是，CNS的調查結果似乎間接影響了環境的作用。
More specifically, when people reported that they felt part of nature, their mood boost tended to be bigger.
更具體點兒說就是，當人們報告說他們屬于自然時，他們的情緒提高幅度更大。
So it wasn't just about seeing nature; it was about feeling like they are part of it.
所以這不僅僅是欣賞自然的問題，而是歸屬感的問題。
The scientists behind this experiment argue that it's that sense of connectedness that causes all those positive benefits.
這項實驗背后的科學家們認為，正是這種關聯感帶來了所有這些積極好處。
And they cite something called the biophilia hypothesis as a possible mechanism for this.
他們引用了一種“親生命性假說”作為可能機制。
The hypothesis theorizes that since, evolutionarily speaking,
假設理論認為，從進化的角度來說，
we're used living in natural environments, we all have some innate urge to seek out nature.
我們習慣于生活在自然環境中，都有尋找自然的天性。
The researchers suggest that we need to see ourselves as part of it,
研究人員建議我們應該把自己視為自然的一部分，
belonging to the same group as the various plant and wildlife species we share our planet with.
與和我們共享地球的各種植物和野生動物同屬于一個群體。
It can be hard to prove evolutionary hypotheses like this, especially when they're as abstract as this one.
我們很難證明這樣的進化假設，尤其是它們像這個假設一樣抽象的時候。
But the concept that we need to belong to groups to stay mentally healthy
但是我們需要屬于一個群體來保持精神健康的概念
is one of the main principles of social psychology research.
是社會心理學研究的主要原則之一。
In fact, it's such an important concept
事實上，它是一個非常重要的概念
that having a sense of belonging with other people is seen as a core human need in some models.
在某些模型中，歸屬于其他人的感覺被視為人類的核心需求。
Not having this sense of belonging can lead to things like lowered immune response, and poorer sleep quality.
沒有這種歸屬感會導致免疫力與睡眠質量下降。
And, conveniently, those are exactly the kind of functions researchers have seen improve
而且，合宜的是，這些正是研究人員看到的改善功能，
when we're exposed to natural environments.
我們接觸自然時會得到改善。
So it's not that huge of a stretch to think that maybe that need to feel like we belong extends beyond human interactions,
所以，我們需要的歸屬感超越了人際互動，
to seeing ourselves as part of the wider ecosystem on our planet.
我們要將自己視為地球上更廣闊生態系統的一部分，這一想法并不夸張。
It's a plausible idea, and the results of this study certainly support it.
這貌似是個合理的想法，此項研究的結果肯定支持這一觀點。
But like with a lot of other big ideas, it would help to have more research to be sure.
但與其他很多偉大的想法一樣，它需要更多的研究來確定。
If nothing else, though, studies do suggest that time in nature is really good for you.
不過，如果別的什么都沒有的話，研究確實表明，在自然中度過確實對你有好處。
So even if we don't totally know why, it's probably worth visiting your local park sometime.
所以，即使我們還不完全了解原因，但有時間去你當地的公園看看是值得的。
Your brain, and your mood, will thank you.
你的大腦和情緒都會感謝你。
Thanks for watching this episode of SciShow Psych!
感謝您收看本期的心理科學秀！
If you enjoy hanging out in nature and want to learn more about it,
如果你喜歡在大自然中閑逛，并想要更多地了解它，
you can check out one of our new sister channels, Nature League!
你可以查看我們的一個姊妹欄目“Nature League”！
In it, SciShow Psych's very own Brit Garner explores all things wild,
在這里面，心理科學秀專有的布里特·加納會探索所有野生生物，
and takes you on some field trips as a bonus.
還帶你去實地考察作為獎勵。
You can find it at youtube.com/natureleague.
你可以在youtube.com/natureleague找到它。
