+40%
stronger brain synchrony in parks vs. busy roads
Exact: 40% higher ISC
Brain-to-brain synchrony (ISC) was 40% higher for parks than highways
ISC analysis measures how similarly a group of people's brains respond to the same dynamic stimulus. Parks produced ISC scores 40% higher than highways, reflecting that participants' attention was more uniformly guided by the calming, soft-fascination features of parks, whereas highways drew attention to varied safety-related events, producing more divergent brain responses across individuals.
On average, ISCs for parks were 26 and 40% higher compared to boulevards and highways, correspondingly.
Related findings
green space exposure linked to substantially enhanced cognitive function
Urban green spaces are associated with substantially enhanced cognitive function in older adults and those with dementia (effect size 0.52)
Yixin Zhang et al., 2025, Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews
20%
only a minority of reviewed studies addressed restoration and education
Few studies linked psychological restoration to education
G. Martinez et al., 2025, Environmental Education Research
stronger neural response to cognitive task after nature walk
P3 ERP amplitude was significantly larger following a nature walk than an indoor walk
Karly Knudson et al., 2025, Physiology & Behavior
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