Environmental Complexity
Davidson, A. W. and Bar-Yam, Y. Environmental Complexity: Information for Human-Environment Well-Being.
This study linked environmental complexity to cognitive function in the elderly. Environmental complexity is calculated based on the number of visually distinct characteristics of objects appearing in photographs of the participants’ houses.Davidson, A. W. and Bar-Yam, Y. Environmental Complexity: Information for Human-Environment Well-Being.
A board of assessors viewed every photograph, and assigned a complexity “score” to each, using a “semi-quantitative measure”. The photograph was also scored on aesthetics. This method was used in correlation with a mathematical model, called Shannon's Information Theory: I = – Σ P(i) log2P(i), where P(i) is the probability of an item’s particular location and the sum is the over all possible locations.
The “Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale” was used to measure the participants’ mental fitness. Cognitive wellness was evaluated using the Mini-Mental Status Exam. The circadian locomotor activity of the participants was measured through a “wrist worn ambulatory activity monitor”.
It was found that the greater the complexity of the environment the greater was the cognitive skills of the participant. Moreover, the circadian activity increased as the environment was more complex. However, mental fitness was not increased.
This research is beneficial to me in that I will someday be considered one of these “elders” and will wish to maintain my mental capabilities.
1 comment:
So, now we know that having interesting things around us is important to our mental capacity as well as our emotional status!
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