Nature Makes Us Nicer People, New Study Says

treehugger.com:

A new study by the University of Rochester found that after looking at nature scenes, people feel closer to their community, are willing to give more money to a charitable cause, and care more about social outcomes than they are after looking at man-made scenes.

Read the whole story: treehugger.com

Comments

[jacobomorales]

...if they pack a lunch.

[royevatom]

I am sure this is absolutely true. I hike a lot and what I see would astound you. Since the advent of the ATV there is more garbage spread further, there are bullet holes in just about anything and everything.
There is no limit to what people will dump in the woods because the cost of taking it to the landfill continues to rise and it is really not affordable to some people.
I don't really feel safe out there because there is often someone with a hunting bow or gun of some kind around.
I think looking at pictures of nature relaxes people but so does looking at clouds. When they get to the woods they get loud because they are afraid, they get important because they feel insignificant, they want to destroy because they could not build or duplicate nature and most of all they want to procreate because they are threatened by survival.
The one thing that makes me believe that this study is true is the continued assault by gun lobbyist and enthusiast on the laws that prohibit guns in our national and state parks.

[RightWingMarine]

this is an interesting study but I do not believe it justifies open-space laws.

[leduck]

well..., i love camping in yosemite
or te sierra nevada anyway.

i think people who truely love the outdoors..., who love hiking and camping probably are more mellow
and nicer

i know i love camping and i always hand out change when someone asks
but i guess i'm a bleeding heart

[mamacat]

I actually agree with the premise of the title, but would point out that the Unabomber and Osama bin Laden also took/take refuge, of a sorts, in nature.

[leduck]

osama bin laden is not living in a cave to be closer to nature

[fumes]

where is ''man-made'' not natural?

is a bee's hive not natural?

a beaver's dam and lodge?

a bird's nest?

is ''man'' not natural???

[darkmark]

when we first moved here, moss beach ca, population 500, our south fence blew down. we put it back
and it blew down again. so we left it down. we had put a small fountain on our deck for birds and because there is no fence raccoons, every night, and an occasional opossum use it. also a ferral cat lives nearby and uses it daily. no fence and we have visitors that are shy and never cause any trouble. company, the human type, always enjoy them as much as we do. whatever this teaches us its nice.

[royevatom]

Moss Beach, beautiful beyond words.
You are fortunate, beyond words.

[darkmark]

were the people in the survey given guns? it would interesting to see what the effect of a gun would
be on their sympathy for others and nature.

[PhilipTaylor]

We should dedicate funding to cultivating these kinds of "Nature Spots" in every community to help people cope and provide jobs!

America is SHABBY and sterile and needs to learn from Europe how important Cultivated Nature is!

A waterfalls, a beautiful garden, and a meadow can mean a lot to all ages!

[royevatom]

Cultivated Nature? You mean like Central Park or the park in San Francisco. I guess; you know I mean I just get dirty and there is no place to buy anything. Anyway I really like to look at the pictures a lot.

[Kuuba]

This isn't news. I love walking my dog when the sun sets in the forest.
It relaxes me like no other to walk her in the quiet, away from the computer and phone.
People need to learn to get in tune with nature at least for 30 minutes a day and it'll change their entire outlook on life, it certainly has on mine for the past few years.

I also found 4 orphaned baby raccoons in the process, 2 of which went on to an animal sanctuary and the other 2 didn't make it unfortunately.

[Philclock]

When a good friend of mine got stalked by a pack of lions when his safari jeep blew 2 tires, he got religion for nature in a hurry!

[Palaver]

Praise the Earth and pass the collection plate.