3. NON-RHYTHMIC SENSORY STIMULI

PATTERNS

INCREASE Heart Rate Recovery (10)
RESTORE Energy (6, 7)
IMPROVE Relaxation (6)

PHYSICAL

ENVIRONMENTAL

INCREASE Sense of Safety (2, 6, 7)
INCREASE Feelings of Visual Privacy (5)

INTELLECTUAL

INCREASE Attentiveness (8, 10, 11)
IMPROVE Mental Engagement (4, 8, 10)
INCREASE Productivity (4, 8)

EMOTIONAL

POSITIVELY Impacted Emotional State (1, 5-7)
FASTER Stress Recovery (6, 7)
IMPROVE Relaxation (6, 7)
REDUCE Feelings of Anger, Aggression and Fear (1, 6)
INCREASE Feelings of Restoration (5-7)
IMPROVE Comfort (9)

SOCIAL

REDUCE Feelings of Anger, Aggression and Fear (1, 6, 7)

WELL-BEING BENEFITS

Browning, Ryan, & Clancy, 2014, (1) Friedman et al., 2008; (2) Heerwagen, 2011; (3) Heerwagen & Gregory, 2008; (4) Heschong Mahone Group, 2003b; (5) R. Kaplan, 1993; (6) R. Kaplan et al., 1998; (7) S. Kaplan, 1995; (8) Lee et al., 2015; (9) Parkinson, de Dear, & Candido, 2012; (10) Ulrich et al., 1991; (11) Windhager et al., 2011

"Human fitness and survival has always required coping with a highly sensuous and variable natural environment, particularly responding to light, sound, touch, smell, and other sensory variability…” -Stephen Kellert

The Basics

THE BASICS

A Non-Rhythic Sensory Stimuli is a moment or event that catches your attention. This is something outside of our everyday experiences that fall into the background. The more predictable background is rhythmic sensory stimuli. Those rhythmic, predictable experiences are things like clouds passing rhythmically, light filtering through trees, or the sound of water in a stream - these are rhythmic sensory stimuli. They are often noticed briefly, but quickly move into the background. However, when the sun breaks through the clouds, a large gust of wind moves the trees, or a fish jumps in the water, our attention is caught momentarily and holds our attention longer, this is an unpredictable sensory stimuli.

This distraction causes one to look up and out for a few moments, to break their directed attention on their current task. This brief distraction has many benefits! Read below to learn more.

Skip to Image Examples

Browning, Ryan, & Clancy, 2014

UNDERSTANDING RHYTHMIC AND UNEXPECTED STIMULI

Why is this difference important?

Photo Credit: Nicole Craanen

Sounds of a water feature
Aquarium
Reflections on water or another surface
Shadows that move over time
Consistent nature sounds

SIMULATED NATURE

DIRECTED ATTENTION

Attention that requires constant effort, where one must heavily focus and pay attention to a task, such as working on a project in which strategy or calculation is involved. Directed attention without an opportunity for rest can lead to mental fatigue, also known as cognitive overload.

INVOLUNTARY ATTENTION

An effortless attention, something that does not take concentration, like looking out the window at clouds passing by.

MENTAL FATIGUE

It is the point at which too much information or too many tasks result in the worker being unable to process the information in the most efficient way (4). A 2001 study explained that cognitive overload/mental fatigue was found to decrease productivity by up to 40% (1).

leads to

helps alleviate

This idea is known as Attention Restoration Theory (ART). Stephen and Rachel Kaplan, pioneers in the field of restoration and creators of ART, explain that interaction with nature is a type of involuntary attention. The connection to nature is effortless, therefore giving direct attention a break, allowing an enhanced ability to concentrate (2).

(1, 2) S. Kaplan, 1992, 1995; Lee et al., 2015; Rubinstein, Meyer, & Evans, 2001

Clouds passing by
Fire in a fireplace
Waves on a shore
Light shifting with the movement of trees
The constantly changing movement of a breeze
Insect or animal movement
Fish in an aquarium
Plant scents
Animals foraging

Unexpected Stimuli Allow for Mental Restoration

Non-Rhythmic sensory stimuli is an event or moment that cannot be predicted and allows a opportunity for mental rest.

What is this experience like?

It is a common occurrence in a natural environment, such as a momentary exposure to something environmental or a small distraction during a task. The sun peeking through on a cloudy day may cause one to stop and look.

What are the benefits?

This momentary distraction allows a break for mental fatigue. Read more about directed and involuntary attention below.

NATURALLY OCCURRING

Sun blocked by cloud for extended time
Gust of wind
Bird chatter becomes sporadically louder
Bees land on a nearby flower
An unexpected plant scent arises

SIMULATED NATURE

Timed effects in a water feature
An aquarium feeding
Timed changes in nature sounds
Artwork or sculpture that moves or changes

Rhythmic Sensory Stimuli

Unexpected Sensory Stimuli

Calming Rhythmic Movements Indicate SAFETY

Rhythmic sensory stimuli is "always changing but always remaining the same" (2).

What is this experience like?

These are rhythmic and predictable sounds or movements that will often hold our attention briefly, and then move into the background. Walking out of a building into the sunshine is momentarily an unexpected stimuli, but it quickly fades into the background.

What are the benefits?

These rhythmic experiences are calming, and accessible in all parts of nature. But they do not offer the same benefits of disengaging directed attention.

NATURALLY OCCURRING

Fabric or material that moves rhythmically with a light breeze (perhaps from air circulation)
Simulated nature sounds or white noise

Adapted from: Browning, Ryan, & Clancy, 2014

We don't want to invoke fear!

Note: There can be predicable and unexpected elements that indicate fear or danger. Predictable examples are a swarm of bees, shark in a tank, or a pack of wild dogs hunting. Unexpected examples are fast, erratic movements that increase stress (1). Examples would be a dying fish, birds taking flight, an animal running to escape a predator, stormy waves, or a forest fire, These motions do not recreate the positive impacts on the human system.