KU researchers to study whether time spent in nature helps people solve problems at work

People who spend more time in nature improve their thinking, according to researchers at the University of Kansas. KU will now study whether those conclusions apply also to the workplace.

KU psychology professors Paul and Ruthann Atchley and University of Utah psychology professor David Strayer already believe from previous work that nature immersion seems to boost cognitive reasoning. They’ve now won a a $65,000 grant from the Sunflower Foundation: Health Care for Kansans to extend their studies, according to a prepared statement from KU.

Their work will include studying groups of employees, exploring whether better reasoning from time spent in nature leads to better problem solving in a work team environment, the KU statement said.

Among other things, the study will involve time spent in meeting spaces – and on the nature trails at the KU Field Station, the KU statement said.

This story was originally published February 21, 2014 at 7:33 AM with the headline "KU researchers to study whether time spent in nature helps people solve problems at work."