Title : Virtual nature promotes stress recovery and attention restoration: Psychological and physiological evidence from the TSST
Abstract:
Background: While the benefits of physical nature exposure are well-documented under Stress Reduction Theory (SRT) and Attention Restoration Theory (ART), the multidimensional recovery trajectories facilitated by brief virtual nature interventions remain underexplored. This study aimed to evaluate the psychophysiological and cognitive restorative impacts of digital nature exposure following acute social stress.
Methods: A between-subjects randomized controlled trial was conducted with 110 participants. Following baseline assessments (including nature connectedness and resilience), acute psychosocial stress was induced using a 10-minute Trier Social Stress Test (TSST). Participants were then randomized to a 5-minute intervention: natural video (n = 39), urban video (n = 36), or a blank sitting control (n = 35). State anxiety (SSAI), positive affect (PANAS), and sustained attention (Cancellation Test) were measured pre-stress (T1), post-stress (T2), and post-intervention (T3). Heart rate variability (HRV) and electrodermal activity (EDA) were continuously recorded. Additionally, video group participants completed the Perceived Restorativeness Scale (PRS) and Igroup Presence Questionnaire (IPQ) to evaluate stimulus qualities.
Results: The TSST successfully induced significant psychological and autonomic stress at T2 across all groups. Post-intervention (T3), stimulus evaluation checks revealed that the natural video scored significantly higher on both perceived restorativeness (PRS) and spatial presence/immersion (IPQ) than the urban video. Analyses of recovery trajectories indicated a significant Time × Condition interaction. Although a general recovery trend was observed across conditions, virtual nature exposure facilitated a significantly superior restorative effect. Compared to urban and control conditions, the natural video prompted a faster return to physiological baseline (HRV/EDA recovery), a more pronounced reduction in state anxiety, and a stronger restoration of positive affect and attentional capacity.
Conclusions: Brief exposure to virtual nature significantly accelerates multidimensional recovery from acute psychosocial stress. The enhanced efficacy of the natural intervention is closely associated with its higher perceived restorativeness and immersive capacity, offering robust empirical support for implementing digital nature as a rapid stress-buffering tool in modern, high-stress settings.
