Stress recovery effects of visual exposure to bamboo landscapes in urban parks: Evidence from physiological and psychological responses

Interactions with bamboo forests and bamboo parks are known to support human health, yet the stress-recovery effects of bamboo landscapes in urban parks remain insufficiently explored. This study examined psychophysiological responses to bamboo landscapes compared with an urban block landscape and evaluated how different landscape configurations influence stress recovery. Using photographic simulations, 280 university students were exposed to seven conditions: an urban block landscape (control) and six bamboo landscape types combining bamboo with terrain, architecture, environmental furniture, pavement, water, or plants. Physiological responses were assessed using skin conductance level (SCL), blood pressure, and heart rate variability indices, including high-frequency (HF) power and the low-frequency/high-frequency ratio (LF/HF), while psychological responses were measured using the Chinese revised version of the abbreviated Profile of Mood States. Compared with the urban control, visual exposure to bamboo landscapes was associated with significant stress-recovery effects, indicated by decreased SCL, LF/HF, and blood pressure, alongside increased HF and improved mood states ( P < 0.05), whereas the control showed opposite trends. Landscapes integrating water or plant elements showed significantly greater stress-recovery effects than those incorporating built components (e.g., pavement and environmental furniture), with consistent differences observed across physiological and psychological measures ( P < 0.05). No significant differences were found between bamboo–water, bamboo–plant, and bamboo–architecture landscapes. These findings indicate that while bamboo landscapes generally supported stress recovery, their effectiveness varies with landscape configuration. For practice, prioritizing the integration of bamboo with water and plant elements, and incorporating culturally meaningful architectural features, may enhance the stress-reducing potential of bamboo landscapes in urban parks.