New Books in Science, Technology, and Society Marc Berman, "Nature and the Mind: The Science of How Nature Improves Cognitive, Physical, and Social Well-Being" (Simon and Schuster, 2025)
Jan 8, 2026
Dr. Marc Berman, a cognitive neuroscientist at the University of Chicago, explores the powerful impact of nature on our mental and physical well-being. He reveals how simple interactions with the natural environment can alleviate stress, sharpen focus, and enhance creativity, even for those who aren't nature enthusiasts. Berman emphasizes the importance of green spaces in urban design and presents compelling research linking nature exposure to improved health outcomes. His insights into attention restoration theory offer a refreshing perspective on living a healthier life.
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Two Kinds Of Attention
- Humans have two attention systems: directed attention and involuntary attention.
- Nature restores directed attention by engaging softly fascinating involuntary attention without heavy cognitive demands.
Soft Versus Harsh Fascination
- Modern stimuli (social media, Times Square-like environments) are harshly fascinating and deplete directed attention.
- Softly fascinating natural patterns avoid all-consuming capture and better preserve attentional resources.
Fractals Make Nature Easier To Process
- Natural scenes contain fractal, scale-free patterns that the brain processes more fluently than built environments.
- This perceptual fluency likely underlies nature's restorative effects on attention and cognition.
