How do different categories of nature‐related landscape images shape emotional experience?

The aim of this study was to explore whether and how diverse categories of nature-related landscape images would influence the emotional dimensions of pleasure, arousal and dominance in the process of aesthetic appreciation, as well as to develop a new nature-related image system (NIS). A total of 575 high-quality images across six categories were selected and assessed by 197 students from the dimensions of aesthetic feeling (AF), pleasure, arousal and dominance. The results showed that different categories evoked varying levels of each dimension, and the impact of landscape categories on emotional experiences cannot be overlooked. Specially, flower landscape showed a clear experimental dissociation in terms of AF and pleasure compared to other categories, suggesting that flower images tend to evoke a positive emotional experience overall, regardless of AF level. Moreover, it also suggested that the effects of flowers on emotions could be considered independently from other categories in future research.