バレンタインが終わったばかり。花が人を幸せにする科学的な証拠について、HortiBiz（2月14日号）に掲載された記事を紹介します。ルツトガー大学の研究員（Haviland-Jonesさん）のチームが、全米フローリスト協会と共同で「花が人々を幸せにする効果」を研究した成果が発表されました。
詳しくは、今月号の「JFMAニュース」の巻頭言で詳報します。ここでは、そのエッセンスだけを箇条書きにします。英語が読める人のためには、全文をコピペしておきます。わたしの要約は、かなり意訳してあります。
要するに、花が人を幸福にする根拠（科学的な証拠）は、以下の５つだというわけです。
１ 花を見るだけで、その場で人は幸せな気持ちになれる。（幸せの即時効果）
２ 花を見ると、幸せな気持ちが長い間持続する。（幸せの長期維持効果）
３ 花があることで、人々の間に親密な関係性が生まれる。（良好な人間関係づくり）
４ 花は、互いが敵対関係ではなく、友好的な関係にあることの象徴になる。（友好的な関係の象徴）
５ たくさんの花を買う人は、より幸福になれる。（花の露出効果）
以上、詳しいことは、来週のニュース解説（2月20日号）をお待ちください！
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”Science: Flowers bring people happiness”（HortiBizからの引用）
Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. If you really want to make your special person happy, here is something you may find interesting. The Society of American Florists, partnered with the world renowned researcher, Jeannette Haviland-Jones of Rutgers University, researched the effect of flowers on human emotion and well-being. Over a 10-month period, some very interesting results were discovered.
Haviland-Jones and her team found that the presence of flowers triggers happy emotions, heightens feelings of life satisfaction and affects future behaviour in a positive manner far beyond what is normally true. Flowers are a natural and healthful moderator of moods.
“Common sense tells us that flowers make us happy”, says Haviland-Jones, “and now science shows that not only do flowers make us happier than we know, they have strong positive effects on our emotional well-being.”
Here are five main points as condensed from her report:
• Flowers have an immediate impact on happiness.
Study participants expressed true or excited smiles upon receiving flowers, demonstrating extraordinary delight and gratitude. This reaction was universal, occurring in all age groups.
• Flowers have a long-term positive effect on moods.
Study participants reported feeling less depressed, anxious and agitated after receiving flowers, and demonstrated a higher sense of enjoyment and life satisfaction.
• Flowers make intimate connections.
The presence of flowers led to increased contact with family and friends.
• Flowers are a symbol for sharing.
The study explored where in their homes people displayed flowers. Once received, arrangements were placed in areas of the home that are open to visitors – such as foyers, living rooms and dining rooms – suggesting that flowers make the space more welcoming and create a sharing atmosphere.
• People who buy more flowers are happier.
Once learning the study results, participants in all age and gift categories reported that they would be buying more flowers in the future.
With so much stress and depression in today’s world, it’s great to know that something as simple as a bouquet of flowers can help to cheer someone up – a nice thought just before Valentine’s Day.
02/14/2016 – Surrey Leader
