The role of natural environments within the emotional geographies of visual impairment

自然环境在视力障碍情绪地理中的作用

• 批准号: ES/N015851/1
• 负责人: Sarah Bell
• 金额: $ 23.4万
• 依托单位: UNIVERSITY OF EXETER
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Research Grant
• 财政年份: 2016
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2016 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=ES%2FN015851%2F1
• 关键词: role; natural; environments; within; emotional

Over 40 years ago, visually impaired singer and author, Tom Sullivan, argued that "sight paints a picture of life, but sound, touch, taste and smell are actually life itself". This is an important message for the 285 million people worldwide that the World Health Organisation estimates to live with visual impairments, for their families and carers, and the growing number of people anticipated to encounter sight loss in the future (with the rising incidence of underlying causes such as diabetes, and an ageing population). Recognising the vitalising influence of the wider senses is also important for researchers exploring the positive impacts of natural environment experiences on human emotions, health and wellbeing. Much of this work emphasises the visual sense, highlighting the importance of colours, people 'watching', viewing distant horizons, and the sense of space achieved through visual encounters with these settings. Yet, when we stop to think about the global prevalence of visual impairment (now and in the future), we realise that sight cannot be taken for granted as the most important means of interacting with the natural world. The aims of this Future Research Leaders project are to explore how and why natural environments (including our back gardens, local parks, woodlands, countryside and coastlines) feature within the everyday lives of people living with sight loss. It will examine how diverse visual impairments shape people's opportunities for positive and therapeutic experiences in nature. It will also explore how this varies between individuals with different life histories, including those born with a visual impairment and those faced with sight loss later in life.An in-depth two-phase research approach will be used to explore these issues. In Phase I, 3-4 months will be spent volunteering with visual impairment support groups across the south west of England (described as 'ethnographic participation'), helping out with indoor and outdoor recreational and support activities. Through maximising opportunities to spend time with and talk to adult participants living with visual impairments during this period, valuable relationships will be built and initial understandings gained of the wider sensory abilities and experiences of these individuals. Phase II will involve two sets of interviews with visually impaired adults at different life stages and with varying forms of sight loss. The first interview (an in-depth 'narrative' interview) will examine the impacts of visual impairment on varied aspects of their daily lives and place interactions. It will also explore recalled shifts in these experiences during their lifetimes. The second interview (a 'go along' interview) will take place in a setting identified by each participant as a local 'natural' environment in which they feel a sense of wellbeing. Whilst there, participants will be asked to reflect on and explain the diverse sensory, emotional and social dimensions of their experiences in that environment.In exploring these aspects of experience, this research will provide novel understandings of the non-visual cues in nature that we respond to. It will address calls to explore the conditions that enable flourishing lives amongst individuals living with visual impairments rather than focusing solely on narratives of loss, and will promote greater sensory awareness amongst the diverse stakeholders involved in the delivery of socially inclusive natural environment interactions. Dr. Bell will convene and lead a series of stakeholder engagement and dissemination events, alongside the production of high profile academic outputs, in order to raise awareness of how visually impaired individuals can support and sustain a sense of wellbeing through interactions with the natural environment. In doing so, and through a tailored skills development plan, she will strengthen her position as a future research leader.

40多年前，视障歌手兼作家汤姆·沙利文（Tom Sullivan）认为，“视觉描绘了一幅生活的图景，但声音、触觉、味觉和嗅觉实际上才是生活本身”。据世界卫生组织估计，全世界有2.85亿人患有视力障碍，这对他们的家人和照顾者来说是一个重要的信息，而且随着糖尿病等潜在原因的发病率上升，以及人口老龄化，越来越多的人预计未来会出现视力丧失。对于研究人员探索自然环境体验对人类情感、健康和幸福的积极影响来说，认识到更广泛感官的活跃影响也很重要。大部分作品强调视觉感受，强调色彩的重要性，人们“观看”，观看遥远的地平线，以及通过与这些设置的视觉接触而获得的空间感。然而，当我们停下来思考视力障碍的全球流行（现在和将来）时，我们意识到视力不能被理所当然地视为与自然世界互动的最重要手段。这个未来研究领袖项目的目的是探索自然环境（包括我们的后花园、当地公园、林地、乡村和海岸线）如何以及为什么在视力丧失的人的日常生活中发挥作用。它将研究不同的视觉障碍如何影响人们在大自然中获得积极和治疗体验的机会。它还将探讨具有不同生活史的个体之间的差异，包括那些天生有视力障碍的人和那些在晚年面临视力丧失的人。深入的两阶段的研究方法将用于探讨这些问题。在第一阶段，将花3-4个月的时间在英格兰西南部的视障支持团体中做志愿者（称为“人种学参与”），帮助室内和室外的娱乐和支持活动。在此期间，通过尽可能多地与患有视觉障碍的成年参与者一起度过时间并与他们交谈，将建立有价值的关系，并对这些个体的更广泛的感官能力和经验有初步的了解。第二阶段将包括对处于不同生命阶段和不同形式视力丧失的视障成年人的两组访谈。第一次访谈（深度“叙述性”访谈）将检查视力障碍对他们日常生活和场所互动的各个方面的影响。它还将探索这些经历在他们一生中的记忆转变。第二次面试（一个“随波逐浪”的面试）将在一个由每个参与者确定的当地“自然”环境中进行，在这个环境中他们会感到幸福。在那里，参与者将被要求反思和解释他们在那个环境中经历的各种感官、情感和社会层面。在探索经验的这些方面，本研究将为我们对自然界中非视觉线索的反应提供新的理解。它将呼吁探索使视力受损者能够繁荣生活的条件，而不是仅仅关注对损失的叙述，并将促进参与提供社会包容性自然环境互动的不同利益相关者之间更大的感官意识。贝尔博士将召集并领导一系列利益相关者参与和传播活动，以及制作高知名度的学术成果，以提高人们对视障人士如何通过与自然环境的互动来支持和维持幸福感的认识。在此过程中，通过量身定制的技能发展计划，她将加强自己作为未来研究领导者的地位。

项目成果

Supporting people with sight impairment to participate in group walks

支持视力障碍人士参加团体步行

• 发表时间: 2018
• 作者: BELL S L

The "healthy dose" of nature: A cautionary tale

大自然的“健康剂量”：一个警示故事

• DOI: 10.1111/gec3.12415
• 发表时间: 2018
• 期刊: Geography Compass
• 影响因子: 3.1
• 作者: Bell S

Sensing Nature: Designing urban green space with sight impairment in mind

感知自然：设计城市绿地时考虑到视力障碍

• 发表时间: 2018
• 作者: BELL S L

'Never mind the bullocks': animating the go-along interview through creative nonfiction

“别介意公牛”：通过富有创意的纪实作品让随性采访变得生动起来

• DOI: 10.1080/17450101.2020.1817685
• 发表时间: 2020
• 期刊: Mobilities
• 影响因子: 2.8
• 作者: Bell S

Geohumanities and Health

地理人文与健康

• 发表时间: 2019
• 作者: BELL S L