The effects of landscape on visual preference and fatigue recovery among university students: Differences in gender, grade level and major

by Chenyu Zheng, Ming Fang, Yue Zhang, Xinyu Liu, Zhihuan Huang

Exposure to natural landscapes has been shown to affect both physiological and psychological well-being, with the extent of these effects varying across different landscape types. However, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. The association among stress reduction, environments characteristics and individual differences requires further investigation, particularly considering the complexity of landscape attributes and the variability of personal responses. In this study, 98 university students participated in a survey to evaluate the effects of different landscape types on visual preference and fatigue recovery. Physiological data (blood pressure, heart rate), psychological data (Perceived Restorative Scale), and visual preferences were analyzed before and after participants viewed the images of eight representative landscape space types: mountain, field, waterscape, lawn, desert, forest, artificial nature, plant. The results indicated that landscape type significantly influenced both physiological responses and emotional states, as well as participants’ perceived recovery from stress. Among the eight landscape spaces, water features and forests were reported to be the most restorative. Compared to freshmen, juniors exhibited greater improvements in physical and psychological recovery, alongside more positive evaluations of the environments. Notably, the desert landscape elicited varied responses depending on participants’ grade level and gender, suggesting that restoration effects may be modulated by individual characteristics. This may reflect an evolutionary predisposition to prefer natural features that enhance survival. These findings contribute to environmental psychology and provide valuable insights for educational practice and environmental design.