Effects of using Natural and Artificial Flowers in Flower Arrangement on Psychological and Physiological Relaxation

Background and objective: The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of using natural and artificial flowers in flower arrangement on psychological and physiological relaxation. Methods: In order to clarify the effect of natural flowers in terms of physiological relaxation during flower arrangement work, heart rate variability (HRV) was measured while 15 people were conducting flower arrangement with natural flowers in comparison with artificial flowers. The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL- 90-R), Profile of Mood States (POMS), and semantic differential (SD) method were used during flower arrangement to investigate the psychological effects. Results: The physiological relaxation of natural flowers shows that flower arrangement using with natural flowers during the first 5 minutes significantly inhibits sympathetic activity compared to artificial flowers. This result proves that flower arrangement using natural flowers reduces the tension and improve relaxation. As the results of examining the psychological effects, the STAI proves that flower arrangement using natural flowers can better reduce anxiety and relax the subjects than artificial flowers. The result of SCL-90-R test shows that flower arrangement using natural flowers can significantly reduce depression. The result of the POMS shows that flower arrangement using natural flowers can significantly reduce tension, anxiety and depression compared to artificial flowers. The result of the SD method shows that the subjects had a significantly more positive impression of flower arrangement using natural flowers than that using artificial flowers in terms of feeling ‘pleasant’ and ‘calm’. Conclusion: The result imply that flower arrangement using natural flowers can be more effective for relaxation and recovery from stress and can improve relaxation and calmness of human body compared to artificial flowers.