Greenness and improved socio-emotional well-being. Sjerp de Vries Wageningen Environmental Research (Alterra)

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1 Greenness and improved socio-emotional well-being Sjerp de Vries Wageningen Environmental Research (Alterra)

2 Overview of four possible pathways Hartig et al (2014)

3 Focus on social contacts

4 Social contacts and...? social interaction, social capital, social support, social cohesion, sense of community

5 Social cohesion vs. (?) social capital Social capital: having (good) relationships with others, and in that way access to the resources of these others (information, assistance, money) Not necessarily strongly linked to the neighbourhood May differ between neighbours (individual asset) Social cohesion: refers to shared norms and values, the existence of positive and friendly relationships, and feelings of being accepted and belonging (Forrest & Kearns, 2001). Related term: sense of community Within the residential environment: neighbourhood cohesion Weak ties may suffice to generate the perception of social cohesion (casual interaction, public familiarity)

6 Elands et al. (in press)

7 Is (perceived) social cohesion important for (mental) health?

8 Social cohesion and (mental) health Rios et al. (2012; Phoenix Arizona): neighbourhood social cohesion, both at the neighbourhood level as well as at the individual level, is positively related to self-reported mental and overall health. See Bjornstrom et al. (2013; Los Angeles, CA) for a similar result. Fone et al. (2014; Wales, UK): neighbourhood social cohesion also reduces socio-economic differences in health. Residence in strongly deprived neighbourhoods was associated with more negative change in mental health over a 7-year period than in less deprived or wealthy neighbourhoods However, this negative effect was much smaller in high social cohesion neighbourhoods (interaction effect)

9 Social cohesion and (mental) health 2 Elliot et al (2014; UK): neighbourhood cohesion is stronger related to mental health in older cohorts: from r = 0.21 to Correcting for social class, housing tenure, whether the participants were doing regular paid or voluntary work, mobility problems, limiting illness or disability, or social participation, had only small attenuating effects. Correcting for social support (?) and personality traits had larger attenuating effects, but the relationships between neighbourhood cohesion and mental health remained significant in all three cohorts.

10 Green space, going out and meeting neighbours

11 Facilitating social cohesion Assumption: green spaces (or public spaces with natural elements) provide attractive places for neighbourhood members to meet each other in a positive setting and thereby will contribute to perceived social cohesion within the neighbourhood (less feeling of being socially isolated) Type of required green space: places were neighbourhood members meet each other in a positive atmosphere Other neighbourhood members present simultaneously Type of social contact needed: positive Superficial and brief contacts may be already sufficient (meet & greet as a good start) 11

12 Natural experiment by Kuo et al (1998) Social housing in Chicago: Robert Taylor Homes Identical high-rise appartment buildings Originally all with some greenery, which disappeared around some buildings (replaced with sealed surface) Assignment of residents to buildings was random

13 Kuo et al (1998): results Residents living in apartment buildings with still some greenery used the outdoor space around the building more than those without Use of the outdoor space around the building was positively associated with the social ties with fellow residents (neighbours) Greenness of the outdoor space and its use were also positively related to feelings of safety.

14 Weinstein et al. (2015; UK)

15 Kemperman & Timmermans (2014): green space and social contacts of ageing population (60+) Assessment of green elements: Availability of different types of greenery within 100 m by observer: trees, grass, park, community garden Perceived presence of greenery and its maintenance Results show that social contacts among neighbors are mainly influenced by the availability of trees and grass and the perceived level of green. However, the safety and maintenance of the green spaces are also important; high quality green spaces support social contacts between neighbors and strengthen communities for the aging population.

16 Are social contacts in green space likely to be positive contacts?

17 Contacts in green space likely to be positive? Experimental stress & restoration studies: enhanced mood Effect of beautiful nature on openness to others and prosociality Two experimental studies by Zhang et al. (2014): exposure to more beautiful images of nature (relative to less beautiful) led participants to be more generous and trusting In a third experimental study, exposure to more beautiful plants (relative to less beautiful) led participants to be more helpful. Positive mood is a (partial) mediator. Follow-up study Chicago group (Kuo & Sullivan, 2001a&b) Residents from green buildings reported less aggression and violence. Also less criminality according to police reports.

18 Facilitating social cohesion 18

19 Green space and fear of crime

20 Foster et al. (2014): Fear of crime and walking Longitudinal study: 4-year follow-up (Perth, Australia) For each increase in fear of crime (i.e., one level on a fivepoint Likert scale) total walking decreased by 22 min/week (p= 0.002), recreational walking by 13 min/week (p= 0.031) and transport walking by 7 min/week (p = 0.064). Adjusted at individual level for gender, age, marital status, education, household income, and changes in marital status and household income between baseline and follow-up. At social environment level: changes in perceptions of collective efficacy and neighbourhood problems At physical environment level: changes in walkability indicators

21 Gylstad-Hayden et al. (2015): canopy cover & crime Tree canopy cover assessed by aerial photography (summer), New Haven (CT, USA) A 10% increase in tree canopy was associated with a 15% decrease in violent crime (police data). A 10% increase in tree canopy was associated with a 14% decrease in property crime (police data). Controlled for (at block group level): educational attainment, median household income, racial/ethnic composition, population density, vacancies and renter-occupied housing

22 Maas et al. (2009): green space and social safety Results:... more green space in people's living environment is associated with enhanced feelings of social safety, except in very strongly urban areas, where enclosed green spaces are associated with reduced feelings of social safety. Enclosed green space: forests of all kinds (coniferous forests, deciduous forests) in built-up and non-built-up environments, and closed dune vegetation. Parks may be divided in open and enclosed green space.

23 Jansson et al. (2013): review green space and social safety Vegetation related aspects identified as being of particular importance include landscape design, possibilities for overview and control, vegetation density, and vegetation character and maintenance. Vegetation of an open character with low density undergrowth might have positive effects on perceived personal safety without reducing other benefits.

24 What type of green space, with which qualities, is most conducive to facilitating positive social contacts?

25 Little research, but some first ideas Nearness to home: small buffers (max. 500 m?) Meeting especially neighbours (and not other people) Small neighbourhood parks (small service area) Streetscape greenery (grass and trees) Front gardens Adjoining back gardens (direct neighbours) Community gardens (in the neighbourhood?) Attractive, beautiful and safe (a.o. well maintained, visually open)

26 Relative importance of social cohesion as pathway

27 Relative strength of pathways De Vries et al. (2013): amount of streetscape greenery in the neighbourhood and self-reported general health Percentage of association explained by mediator Stress Social cohesion Green phys. act. All three mediators 10 0 Overall health

28 Relative strength of pathways (2) Dadvand et al. (2016): residential surrounding greenness (average NDVI within 250 m) and subjective general health Percentage of association explained by mediator Subjective general health Mental health Social support Physical activity All three mediators

29 Relative strength of pathways (3) James et al. (2013, US): prospective study on exposure to greenness and mortality for women (nurses) Accessibility metric: greenness indicated by average NDVI-score within 250 meters (in quintiles) 12% lower rate of all-cause non-accidental mortality in highest quintile, compared to lowest quintile of greenness Corrected a.o. for age, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status Percentage of association explained by: PM 2.5 4% Physical activity 2% Depression 31%

30 Beyond social cohesion (sense of community): satisfaction with residential neighbourhood as pathway?

31 Satisfaction with residential environment 1 Basic premise: people are more satisfied with their (physical) residential environment to the extent that this environment fulfils their needs and desires (Person-Environment Fit) and many people happen to like natural elements in their residential environment. Satisfaction with cleanliness, green spaces and public spaces such as markets, squares and pedestrian zones, as well as the feeling of safety both in the city and in the respondent's neighbourhood, are the features that show the highest correlation with the overall satisfaction of living in a city. (EC, 2013: Perception survey) 31

32 Satisfaction with residential environment 2 Van Herzele & De Vries (2012; Ghent, Belgium) People living in a greener neighbourhood were happier, mediated mainly by a green view from their living room 32

33 Socioeconomic differences in access (Netherlands) Several studies indicate that access to nature is more strongly associated with health and well-being within the category of socioeconomically deprived neighbourhoods. At the same time... Percentage of green space within 250 meters by average residential property value in the neighbourhood, by level of urbanity (Li, 2015) < 200 k > 300 k Strongly urban Less urban

34 Summary 1 We looked at perceived social cohesion within the neighbourhood as a possible pathway relating nearby nature to human well-being Neighbourhood social cohesion was shown to be positively related to (mental) health Nearby green space/greenery seems to increase casual encounters with other neighbourhood members, and in that way social cohesion Attractive, beautiful green spaces are likely to attract more people and being in such spaces may also make people more prosocial Fear of crime is an important factor that may lessen the positive impact of green space on social cohesion (and stress reduction) Green space itself may affect fear of crime, positively or negatively

35 Summary 2 Social cohesion in the neighbourhood seems especially important a) for the elderly (and children?) and b) in deprived neighbourhoods The social cohesion pathway has received relatively little research attention thus far, while it seems as least as relevant as the physical activity (and air quality) pathway. Social cohesion (sense of community) seems conceptually to link to residential satisfaction. Green space/greenery may also directly affect satisfaction with the residential neighbourhood. Environmental justice issues: deprived neighbourhoods, where social cohesion seems to have the largest positive effect on health, on average have the least green space (at least in the Netherlands).

36 The end