非视觉自然接触——自然嗅觉、听觉对心理健康的作用机制与研究展望

Non-Visual Nature Contact—Mechanisms and Prospects of Natural Olfactory and Auditory Effects on Mental Health

摘要: 自然接触与心理健康的关系已受到广泛关注，但既有研究多聚焦视觉绿地和自然景观，较少系统讨论自然嗅觉与自然听觉等非视觉感官通道。本文围绕非视觉自然接触的概念、刺激类型、理论基础、作用机制及应用前景进行综述。现有研究表明，植物香气、森林气味、鸟鸣、流水声等自然刺激可能通过情绪唤起、注意转移、压力恢复、自主神经调节和情绪记忆等路径影响个体心理健康，并与芳香疗法、音乐疗法、声音疗法和数字自然干预存在交叉。未来研究需加强多感官整合实验、标准化刺激库建设、真实自然与数字模拟自然刺激比较、神经生理机制验证及个体化干预设计。非视觉自然接触有望成为自然心理健康研究和身心干预实践的重要补充。

Abstract: The relationship between nature contact and mental health has received increasing attention, yet existing studies have largely focused on visual green space, natural landscapes, and outdoor activities. Comparatively less attention has been paid to non-visual sensory pathways, particularly natural olfactory and auditory experiences. This review focuses on non-visual nature contact, with an emphasis on natural smells and natural sounds, and summarizes its conceptual scope, major stimulus types, theoretical foundations, psychological mechanisms, and potential applications. Current evidence suggests that plant aromas, forest odors, birdsong, flowing water, wind, rain, and other natural sensory cues may contribute to emotional relaxation, stress recovery, attentional restoration, autonomic regulation, and the activation of emotion-related memories. These effects may be explained through stress recovery theory, attention restoration theory, multisensory integration, and emotion regulation theory. Non-visual nature contact also provides a useful bridge between nature-based interventions and mind-body therapies, including aromatherapy, music therapy, sound therapy, forest bathing, and digital nature interventions. However, existing research remains fragmented, with limited sample sizes, insufficient randomized controlled and longitudinal studies, a lack of standardized auditory and olfactory stimulus, and inadequate comparisons between real and simulated nature exposure. Future studies should develop multisensory experimental paradigms, establish standardized stimulus libraries, improve ecological validity, clarify neurophysiological mechanisms, and design individualized intervention programs. Non-visual nature contact may become an important supplement to both nature and mental health research and practical mind-body interventions.