The Environmental Neuroscience Lab at the University of Chicago
is interested in how the physical environment affects the brain and behavior. Previous findings from the ENL show that brief interactions with natural environments (such as walks in a park) can improve memory and attention by 20%. Studies in our lab have examined how interacting with natural environments promotes these improvements, investigating brain networks that underlie the relationship between environment and behavior. We hope to further understand which features of the natural environment lead to improvements in memory and attention as well as identify other manipulations that increase brain efficiency. Our current research examines how physical and social characteristics of urban spaces –including social cohesion, physical disorder, heat, and greenspace– (1) affect interactions between individuals in different neighborhoods and (2) relate to crime. In pursuit of this question, we are using deep learning approaches to analyze large set of social networking, image, and video data from sources including Twitter, Reddit, Yelp, Google Street View, and Sage. With a better understanding and quantification of the relationships between the brain, behavior, and the environment, we hope our research will influence the design of physical spaces in ways that will optimize human mental health, physical health, and overall well-being.
NEWS
How a City is Organized can Create Less-Biased Citizens
"The city you live in could be making you, your family, and your friends more unconsciously racist. Or, your city might make you less racist. It depends on how populous, diverse, and segregated your city is, according to a new study that brings together the math of...
TVO Today: “Does Neuroscience Prove We Need Urban Green Spaces?”
"It's certainly more beautiful to be surrounded by mature trees than endless concrete and traffic. But research now also shows it could well be better for both your mental and physical health. Marc Berman, professor of psychology at the University of Chicago,...
UChicago News: “How do cities impact mental health? A new study finds lower rates of depression”
Large cities are often viewed as cold, fast-paced environments where crime rates are high and interpersonal interactions are fleeting—a combination that makes them detrimental to mental health. But new research provides evidence for the opposite: The socioeconomic networks and built environments of larger urban areas in the U.S. can actually predict lower rates of psychological depression.