How Do Urban Nature Parks Contribute to Psychological Restoration? The Perspective of Embodied Experience

Urban nature parks, as public green spaces in cities, hold great significance in helping individuals rejuvenate their physical and mental well-being in response to the demands of daily life and work. While researchers have widely recognized the psychologically restorative effects of urban nature parks, the role of embodied experiences in the restoration process has not received adequate attention. Drawing upon the embodied theory, this study explores how embodied nature experiences contribute to and support psychological restoration, as well as the underlying psychological mechanisms. The findings indicate that embodied nature experiences in urban nature parks directly and indirectly facilitate psychological restoration by enhancing nature connectedness and social connectedness. Furthermore, nature connectedness and social connectedness serve as serial mediators between embodied nature experiences and psychological restoration. These conclusions provide empirical evidence for the future development of urban nature parks.