PNHI Projects

Lab Study: Nature and Decision-Making

This study will explore the influence of how natural elements, such as outdoor views, affect decision-making and collaboration. 

Using behavioral games including the Ultimatum Game, Stag Hunt, and Trust Game, this study investigates how nature exposure influences trust, fairness, and cooperative behavior.

Findings will inform how biophilic environments can enhance team performance in workplaces, classrooms, and shared settings.

Lab Study: Plant Exposure and Student Performance

The study will compare outcomes between groups tested with and without plant exposure during a series of performance tasks. 

Researchers hypothesize that plant exposure will enhance cognitive performance and reduce stress levels, offering measurable benefits for students in academic settings.

Results are expected to guide biophilic design strategies in learning environments to promote wellbeing, focus, and academic success.

Lab Study: Present in Nature Study

The study will compare outcomes between groups tested with and without nature exposure during a series of performance tasks. 

Researchers hypothesize that plant exposure will enhance cognitive performance and reduce stress levels, offering measurable benefits for students in academic settings.

Results are expected to guide biophilic design strategies in learning environments to promote wellbeing, focus, and academic success.

A Naturalistic Study of Residents of an Agriculturally-Integrated Community  

The PNHI is proud to be apart of an ongoing multidisciplinary research project focused on agrihoods — innovative suburban neighborhoods built around working farms that blend agriculturally-integrated community, nature and healthy living. 

Our study centers on a community in Indigo, Texas — a vibrant agrihood located in Fort Bend County, just a short commute from downtown Houston. This community offers residents the unique opportunity to engage with sustainable food production, enjoy natural features like walking trails and ponds and connect socially, all in their own neighborhood.

This expert team brings together knowledge from health behavior, nutrition, social sciences, agricultural economics, environmental design and more. By combining focus groups and time-use surveys of current residents with a longitudinal study of new residents, we aim to provide evidence-based insights into how agrihoods support physical and mental well-being while fostering sustainable communities. 

Sanctuary Space: Improving College Student Wellness Through Music and VR Immersion

Led by Principal Investigator Lynn Vartan, Ph.D., and a diverse team including Jay Maddock, Ph.D., Courtney Suess, Ph.D., Charlie Hall, Ph.D., Arianna Pikus, Ph.D. and Zienna Blackwell, Ph.D., this project explores a novel approach to enhancing mental health on college campuses. 

Combining the therapeutic power of music, nature and virtual reality, Sanctuary Space aims to develop immersive wellness environments that offer students a calming retreat from academic stress. These spaces will provide students with accessible tools to manage anxiety, reconnect with nature and support their overall well-being. 

With the potential to scale across large universities, this project has the power to impact thousands of students and fill critical gaps in current mental health interventions. We look forward to seeing the impact of this innovative blend of technology and nature-based wellness.

Lab Study: Nature and Mental Health

In collaboration with Texas A&M Mental Health Services, PNHI researchers are studying how peer support and chatbots affect stress, engagement with nature, and mental health outcomes. Participants are offered access to local nature-based resources, and their interests and attitudes toward nature are tracked throughout the program.

The study includes one in-person session, two online sessions, and a follow-up, using a combination of behavioral data and engagement metrics to understand how integrating nature exposure into mental health care can foster resilience and wellbeing.

Lab Study: Aggie Park Visits

We worked with Aggie Park to analyze the data on the visits in recent years. We have information on daily total visits; 2,271,878 people visited this green area between September 2022 and October 2025. This allowed us to show the relation between assistance and the events, day of the week and month. We are now considering running a survey to measure the value that Aggies get from Aggie Park.