Green Space Reduces Teen Aggression

In a first-of-its-kind longitudinal study, researchers from the University of Southern California report urban adolescents who grow up in neighborhoods with more greenery are less likely to engage in aggressive behavior.

. . . “We found strong evidence supporting the benefits of neighborhood green space in reducing aggressive behaviors,” the researchers write. “The results of our adjusted analyses suggest a consistent pattern of decreased aggression associated with increasing residential green space within a 1000-meter buffer.”

They found no evidence this impact was limited to wealthier or poorer neighborhoods, and report it still held true after accounting for such factors as traffic density and proximity to freeways.

—Tom Jacobs, “Teenagers Surrounded by Green Are Less Aggressive” in Pacific Standard

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Give Students a Green View to Increase Attention

“Gazing out of the widow onto green pastures or a peaceful copse of trees while sitting an exam will actually help students score higher. And not just a little bit either—a new study has found that students’ capacity to pay attention increased 13% with a green view outside their classroom window.

. . . a 13% boost in attention might be enough to convince architects that classrooms and offices should come with better views, and perhaps teachers won’t scold pupils for gazing out the window.”

—Charlie Sorrel, “Want Kids To Do Better On Tests? Let Them Gaze Into Nature” on FastCompany

More Research on Impact of Green Space on Learning

NEW YORK — Putting more green space around an elementary school may help students develop some mental abilities, a study suggests. . . .

Green space may help mental development in part by reducing air pollution from vehicles, according to an analysis by the researchers that included pollution data from the schools.

It may also help by reducing noise and encouraging physical activity, researchers said in a paper released Monday by the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Policy makers should know that “more green around the school is better for cognitive development and that they should make sure that kids can see and play in green areas,” one author, Mark Nieuwenhuijsen of the Center for Research in Environmental Epidemiology in Barcelona, said in an email. . . .

Their analysis indicated that differences in socio-economic factors between schools did not account for the study outcome.

—“Study: Green Space Around Schools May Boost Mental Abilities.” The NY Times, 15 June 2015. Web. <http://mobile.nytimes.com/aponline/2015/06/15/science/ap-us-sci-schools-green-space.html?referrer=&_r=0>.

Other posts from Schools & Ecosystems on this topic:

• Topic of the Week: The Impact of the Physical Environment On Well-being
• The Importance of School Environment
• First, Fix the Buildings
• Let’s Go Beyond Natural Playgrounds

On June 21, 2015 By mandersonIn Links, nature, Physical Environment, quotes, researchLeave a comment