۱- Introduction

۲- Method

۳- Results

۴- Discussion

References

Abstract

The aim of the study was to investigate the benefits of favourite physical places for well-being based on the idea of environmental self-regulation. It proposes that everyday favourite places are used as a “coping mechanism” to enhance subjective well-being through reflection, emotion regulation and withdrawal. We investigated the connection between reasons for visiting the favourite place, consequent experiences and perceived well-being (satisfaction with life and perceived health) through structural equation modelling. We also analysed the reversed model, where well-being affects the reasons for visiting and experiences in favourite places. Finnish and Hungarian participants (N = 784) answered an internet-based questionnaire. Concerning the relationships between reasons, experiences and well-being variables, all of the three reason factors (“Sad, depressed”; ” Happy, well”; “Alone, reflective) were significantly and positively related to the factor “Experiences of positive recovery of self”. This indicates that favourite places do indeed facilitate self-regulation by transforming negative cognitions and feelings into positive ones. However, positive recovery experiences were not related to well-being but distress experiences were negatively related to life satisfaction and perceived health. The reversed model revealed a top-down relation of life satisfaction with positive and negative reasons.

Introduction

The aim of the present study is to investigate the benefits of favourite physical places for well-being based on an individual’s environmental self-regulation (Korpela, 1992). Well-being refers to hedonic (subjective or emotional) well-being focusing on happiness, pleasure attainment and pain avoidance and eudaimonic well-being focusing on meaning, self-realization and full functioning of the individual (Ryan & Deci, 2001). From a self-regulation perspective, people are considered as being active and making conscious and unconscious choices of and in their everyday physical settings based on preferences, emotions, memories, and habits (Russell & Snodgrass, 1987). Environmental self-regulation reflects the idea that maintaining a coherent conceptual system (through cognitive reflection) of oneself and an emotional balance between pleasure and pain is a fundamental aspect of environmental self-regulation taking place in a favourite place where reflection, emotion regulation and withdrawal are possible (Korpela, 1992). Thus, environmental self-regulation in favourite places includes reflection related to threats to self-experience and self-esteem (related to eudaimonic well-being), up- and downregulation of emotions (both mood and momentary feelings) and regulation of stress (related to hedonic well-being).