Impact of nature imagery & mystery on ART

Participants: One hundred and one undergraduates from James Cook University Singapore (JCUS) were recruited for the purposes of this study. PRS data from two participants (1.98%) were removed due to errors in task completion or missing data. Accordingly, RT data of these 2 participants, along with other repeated trials in the RT data were also removed (7.62%). The final sample consisted of 99 participants (60.60% females, 39.40% males). Their ages ranged from 17 to 34 years (M = 22.48, SD = 2.64). Participants were mostly recruited through convenience sampling via the JCUS Research Recruitment Board and the SONA research management system (SONA, 2018) while the remaining participants were recruited through snowball sampling. Eligible students were allocated credit points for their participation in the study while the remaining participants received no incentive or reward. Design: This study employed a 3 x 2 within-subjects experimental design with environment type (built, natural or mixed) and mystery (high or low) as the independent variables (IVs). The dependent variable (DV) was attention restoration, which was operationalized in three different ways: (1) perceived attention restoration measured by participants’ scores on the PRS; (2) mean accuracy of participants’ scores on the DSST measured by number of correct responses identified; and (3) mean speed of responses on the DSST. The study was designed to examine the effects of environment type and mystery on attention restoration in cognitively fatigued individuals. Cognitive fatigue was generated through performance of the DSST. The different types of environments were operationalised as such: (1) Built environments are human-made surroundings such as those with architectural features ranging from buildings and roads to parks; (2) natural environments are landscapes usually untouched or conserved by mankind, usually characterised by an abundance of plants and other elements of natural ecosystems; and (3) mixed environments are a 50/50 combination of built and natural elements [67]. Images should be at least 75% natural or built to be classified as natural or built environments respectively. Mystery refers to settings that easily capture an individual’s attention, providing the prospect to acquire additional information and enhance one’s sense of involvement. High mystery settings usually contain partially concealed views, enticing a person to go further [3]. Examples include a bend in the trail, meandering streams or winding city streets or staircases. Procedure: This study was approved by JCU Human Research Ethics Committee (Approval Number H7286). This study was conducted in one of the testing rooms within the cognitive psychology research lab at JCUS. There were ten cubicles in the room. Each participant was provided with a desktop computer, a table and chair at each cubicle such that there were no noise interference or other distractions. First, participants were directed to the computer screen on Qualtrics [68] where the information sheet detailing the nature of the experiment was presented. They were given time to read and clarify doubts before providing informed consent by clicking onto the ‘agree’ button, thereby proceeding with the experiment. Participants were then directed to complete demographic information such as their age and gender. Following this, they were directed to an alternative webpage to complete the first DSST on Inquisit, to help familiarise themselves with the task and to initiate cognitive fatigue. Prior to each DSST task, participants were instructed to enter their eight-digit student identification number followed by a dash and the image number (e.g. 123XXXXX-image number for JCU participants; 00000001-image number for external undergraduates) to link performance on the DSST to the environmental image stimuli provided on Qualtrics. Since there was no image prior to the first task, participants were instructed to enter their student identification number followed by the number zero (e.g. 123XXXXX-0 or 00000001-0). Participants were seated approximately 60cm from the computer screen, where they were instructed to pay attention to the key provided at the top of the screen and to proceed with the practice trial followed by the first experimental trial. After completion of the first DSST (fatiguing task), participants were redirected to Qualtrics where the first image stimulus was shown on the screen. Images were randomized so that each participant viewed them in a different order. Each image was shown for 10 seconds before it disappeared. This duration of exposure to the stimulus was deemed sufficient as there was a significant relationship found between scene and recognition performance scores at 10 second durations [52]. Following the stimulus exposure, participants were redirected to Inquisit to complete the DSST following the first image. As such, the DSST performed a dual function as pre-exposure cognitive fatigue task and as a post-exposure measure of cognitive restoration. After completion of the DSST measuring cognitive restoration, participants were directed back to Qualtrics to complete the PRS as a measure of perceived restoration. A smaller version of the image was provided at the top of the screen to prompt their memory and to ensure responses referred to the correct image. This sequence was followed for each of the 18 images. On completion of these tasks, participants were debriefed, thanked for their participation and dismissed. Software/equipment used to create/collect the data: Qualtrics Inquisit version 4 Software/equipment used to manipulate/analyse the data: SPSS version 23

被试：本研究招募了新加坡詹姆斯库克大学（James Cook University Singapore, JCUS）的101名本科生。因任务完成失误或数据缺失，剔除2名被试（占比1.98%）的知觉恢复量表（Perceived Restorativeness Scale, PRS）数据；同时剔除该2名被试的反应时（Response Time, RT）数据，以及反应时数据中其余的重复试次，共剔除7.62%的数据。最终有效样本为99名被试，其中女性占比60.60%，男性占比39.40%，年龄范围为17~34岁（M=22.48，SD=2.64）。被试主要通过新加坡詹姆斯库克大学研究招募委员会与SONA研究管理系统（SONA, 2018）采用方便抽样招募，剩余被试通过滚雪球抽样招募。参与研究的符合要求的学生可获得学分奖励，其余被试无任何激励或报酬。
实验设计：本研究采用3×2被试内实验设计，自变量（Independent Variables, IVs）为环境类型（人工建造、自然或混合）与神秘感（高或低），因变量（Dependent Variable, DV）为注意恢复。注意恢复通过三种方式操作化定义：（1）知觉注意恢复，以被试在PRS上的得分进行衡量；（2）数字符号替换测验（Digit Symbol Substitution Test, DSST）平均正确率，以正确识别的反应数量为指标；（3）DSST平均反应时。本研究旨在探究环境类型与神秘感对认知疲劳个体注意恢复的影响。认知疲劳通过完成DSST任务诱发。不同环境类型的操作化定义如下：（1）人工建造环境：指人类构建的周边环境，例如包含建筑、道路乃至公园等各类建筑特征的场景；（2）自然环境：指通常未受人类干预或受保护的景观，通常以丰富的植物与其他自然生态系统元素为特征；（3）混合环境：指人工建造与自然元素各占50%的组合场景[67]。若图片中自然元素占比不低于75%，则归类为自然环境；同理，人工元素占比不低于75%则归类为人工建造环境。神秘感指能够轻易吸引个体注意力，提供获取额外信息机会并增强个体参与感的场景。高神秘感场景通常包含部分被遮挡的视野，能够吸引个体进一步探索[3]，例如小径弯道、蜿蜒溪流、曲折的城市街道或楼梯等。
实验流程：本研究已获得JCU人类研究伦理委员会批准（批准号：H7286）。实验在新加坡詹姆斯库克大学认知心理学研究实验室的一间测试室中开展，室内设有10个独立隔间。每个隔间配备一台台式电脑、一张桌子与一把椅子，以确保无噪音干扰或其他分心因素。首先，引导被试进入Qualtrics平台[68]的电脑界面，该界面展示了详细说明实验性质的知情同意书。被试有充足时间阅读并澄清疑问，随后点击"agree"按钮完成知情同意流程，进入实验环节。随后，被试需填写年龄、性别等人口统计学信息。之后，被试被引导至另一网页，通过Inquisit平台完成第一版DSST任务，以帮助其熟悉任务流程并诱发认知疲劳。在每一次DSST任务开始前，被试需输入8位学生学号，后跟短横线与图片编号（例如，JCU本校被试为123XXXXX-图片编号；校外本科生为00000001-图片编号），以便将DSST任务表现与Qualtrics平台上呈现的环境图片刺激进行匹配。由于首个任务前无对应图片，被试需输入学号后跟数字0（例如，123XXXXX-0或00000001-0）。被试就座于距离电脑屏幕约60cm的位置，根据屏幕顶部提示的按键规则完成练习试次，随后进入首个正式实验试次。完成第一版DSST（疲劳诱发任务）后，被试被重新引导至Qualtrics平台，界面将呈现首张环境图片刺激。图片呈现顺序采用随机化处理，确保每名被试的图片观看顺序各不相同。每张图片呈现10秒后消失，该刺激呈现时长被认为是充足的，因为已有研究证实10秒呈现时长下场景与再认成绩间存在显著关联[52]。图片呈现结束后，被试被重新引导至Inquisit平台，完成针对该张图片的DSST任务。由此，DSST兼具两项功能：作为刺激呈现前的认知疲劳诱发任务，以及刺激呈现后的认知恢复水平测量任务。完成测量认知恢复的DSST任务后，被试被引导返回Qualtrics平台，完成PRS量表以评估知觉恢复水平。界面顶部会展示该图片的缩小版本，以唤醒被试记忆，确保其作答对应正确的图片。上述流程针对全部18张图片依次重复。所有任务完成后，对被试进行实验说明告知，感谢其参与并结束实验。
数据采集与制作所用软件/设备：Qualtrics Inquisit 4版本
数据分析所用软件/设备：SPSS 23版本