Effects of different landscape visual stimuli on psychophysiological responses in Chinese students

Human–plant interactions have positive effects on human health. However, the effects of plants and the environment on psychophysiological responses have not been thoroughly explored. This study examined the physiological (electroencephalography (EEG)) and psychological (the semantic differential method (SDM) and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI)) responses of adults viewing different landscape pictures. The physiological responses of 50 Chinese students were recorded by measuring blood pressure and EEG, and psychological responses were measured using the STAI and SDM. The following treatments were assessed: (1) urban city traffic photographs (control), T0; (2) garden landscape photographs, T1; (3) natural scenery landscape photographs, T2; (4) forest landscape photographs, T3 and (5) city landscape photographs, T4. Students’ blood pressure was lowered after visual stimulation with different landscape pictures than with the control. In the (SDM) evaluation, students felt more natural, relaxed and comfortable after viewing landscape pictures and had low anxiety scores. EEG results showed higher alpha, beta, delta, theta and gamma frequencies after visual stimulation with landscape pictures than with the control. In conclusion, different landscape pictures have psychophysiological relaxation effects on adults.