Where to study on campus

5: Reading Response: Where to take a Study Break on Campus

“Where to take a study break on the college campus: An attention restoration theory perspective” is a research paper by Gary Felsten, an associate dean and psychology professor. Notably, Felsten works at Indian University-Purdue University Columbus, where he coordinated with students to collect data for this paper (IU News). In this work, Felsten analyzes effective study habits through the attention restoration theory (ART). This theory focuses on the idea that attention is a voluntary skill that demands effort to create focus (Felsten 160). This theory further establishes that such effort makes attention vulnerable to fatigue, and outside variables can increase the longevity of their focus. Subsequently, Felsten’s study correlates this influence with the effectiveness of a college student’s focus. This correlation was analyzed through a survey where college students rated, on a 7-point scale, how relaxed and efficient they thought a study space would be. This survey contrasted three study spaces: rooms with white walls, rooms with windows, and the same rooms with walls digitally edited to have images of nature. Holistically, Felsten concluded that students preferred rooms with natural murals and were least inclined to rooms without any nature (Felsten 166). Samples of the images used in this research can be seen here to illustrate Felsten’s work better.

All Three Images Courtesy of: Felsten, Gary. “Where to Take a Study Break on the College Campus: An Attention Restoration Theory Perspective.” Journal of Environmental Psychology, vol. 29, no. 1, 2009, pp. 160–167., https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2008.11.006.

One interesting detail from Felsten’s research is the influence of water on attention. Prior to Felsten’s study, previous research on ART had noted that ratings for perceived restorativeness were highest in nature scenes that contained water. Thus, Felsten diversified his digital murals so that some would have water and others would not. The result was that “murals of waterfalls or panoramic ocean views were more restorative than settings with murals that lacked water” (Felsten 166). This expansion of likely details implies that the theories of ART accurately reflect student mindset beyond overall ideas. Consequently, this implies that both schools and students can utilize research on ART not initially applied to education. However, it should also be noted that research specific to education can provide further and more nuanced understandings. This is exemplified in how students reacted to the rooms with windows to the outside. At the time of the study, it was fall, and windows overlooked barren trees with little greens. Felsten initially worried that this lack of luscious nature would decrease the ratings of those rooms. The results, contrastingly, showed that these rooms “retain restorative properties, especially when the presence of built structures was minimal” (Felsten 166). This result, in coordination with the data regarding waterfalls, creates a more subtle understanding of how students interact with nature. Namely, while their relation to the specific elements of a view aligns with ART, the presence of nature, in general, has a substantial impact on how students view a space. This implies that any ART research can be used to improve the education system, but studies focused on education can provide the most exhaustive data.

While this study was published in 2009, it has been followed by an increase in conversations about the education system. These conversations primarily concern how schools impact a student’s mental health. This is reflected in the increase in papers on outdoor learning programs. For example, a 2022 research paper by Leslie Solomonian discusses that outdoor learning benefits teamwork and mitigates students’ anxiety (Solomian). From this increased focus, one can observe that Felsten’s work has become part of a larger and more meaningful discussion. Thereby, there is a higher demand for the information provided in this paper and the expansions Felsten proposes at the end. 

Word Count: 586

Works Cited

1. Felsten, Gary. “Where to Take a Study Break on the College Campus: An Attention Restoration Theory Perspective.” Journal of Environmental Psychology, vol. 29, no. 1, 2009, pp. 160–167., https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2008.11.006.
2. “Gary Felsten.” IU News, https://news.iu.edu/live/profiles/291-gary-felsten.
3. Solomonian, Leslie, et al. “Effects of Outdoor Learning School–Based Education Programs on Pediatric Health.” Natural Medicine Journal, National Medicine Journal, 2 Mar. 2022, https://www.naturalmedicinejournal.com/journal/effects-outdoor-learning-school%E2%80%93based-education-programs-pediatric-health#:~:text=Outdoor%20learning%2C%20in%20particular%2C%20has,%2C%20focus%2C%20and%20cognitive%20functioning.