Listening to birds sing or watching them fly is more than just entertaining. Being around birds offers benefits for emotional well-being, a new study finds.
Researchers used a phone app to collect information on how this specific nature exposure could be good for mental wellness.
“Most previous studies have looked at the benefits of nature as a whole,” says lead author Ryan Hammoud, a research assistant at King’s College London. “We chose to focus on birdlife to try and understand which specific characteristics of nature benefit mental health. None of the previous studies had investigated this in real-time and real-world contexts.
For their experiments, researchers used the Urban Mind app to follow 1,292 people who completed nearly 27,000 assessments. Participants were from the United Kingdom, the European Union, and the United States. Three times each day, the app asked users whether they could hear or see birds. They were asked to answer follow-up questions on their mental state at the time, so researchers could see if there was a connection and how long it lasted.
Mental well-being was measured with questions about whether they were feeling confident, relaxed, happy, for example, or more negative feelings such as whether they felt anxious, stressed, or lonely.
The study collected data on people who have mental health conditions and those without. They discovered that bird activity is linked to improvements in emotional health in those who don’t have mental health concerns, as well as those who have been diagnosed with depression. They discovered that the effects were still observed in the following assessment which was up to eight hours later.
This exciting research shows just how much the sight and the sound of birdsong lift the spirits. It captures evidence that our senses are stimulated by birdsong, which is a precious part of nature that should be experienced.
12. In what way is the research different from previous ones?
A.It discovered the entertaining part of birds. |
B.It looks at humans as a valuable part of nature. |
C.It looks at the benefits of a specific aspect of nature. |
D.It discovered the contributing factors to emotional health. |
13. Why did Urban Mind app ask the participants questions?
A.To cheer up the participants. |
B.To provide real-time guidance. |
C.To record the locations of birds. |
D.To collect data for the research. |
14. What can be learned about the effect birds have on the participants?
A.It lasts for hours. |
B.It’s still uncertain. |
C.It depends on health conditions. |
D.It’s linked to where the birds are seen. |
15. Which of the following is a suitable title for the text?
A.Nature Exposure Is Good for Mental Wellness |
B.Seeing or Hearing Birds Is Good for Well-being |
C.Scientists Are Researching into Specific Characteristics of Nature |
D.A Phone App Is Helping Collect Data in Real-world Experiments |