Peggy's Pointers
Helping you become more floral Savvy each Sunday!
Power of
Flowers: University Research Proves Benefits Stem from Flowers
If you
are part of the floral industry, you have witness the emotional roller coaster
that is involved in sending and receiving flowers. Our industry experts are continually doing scientific
research on the emotional and behavioral benefits of flowers. Their findings
prove the power of flowers can be
very important in our daily lives.
According
to behavioral research conducted at Rutgers, The State University of New
Jersey, nature provides us with a simple way to improve emotional health -
flowers. The presence of flowers triggers happy emotions heightens feelings of
life satisfaction and affects social behavior in a positive manner far beyond
what is normally believed.
Rutgers University researchers explored the link between flowers
and life satisfaction in a 10-month study of participants' behavioral and
emotional responses to receiving flowers. They learned that the presence of
flowers triggers happy emotions heightens feelings of life satisfaction and
affects social behavior in a positive manner far beyond what is normally
believed.
"What's most
exciting about this study is that it challenges established scientific beliefs
about how people can manage their day-to-day moods in a healthy and natural
way," said Jeannette Haviland-Jones, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology at
Rutgers and lead researcher on the study.
Home Ecology
of Flowers Study, Harvard University
A behavioral research study conducted by Nancy Etcoff, Ph.D., of
Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, reveals that people
feel more compassionate toward others, have less worry and anxiety, and feel
less depressed when fresh cut flowers are present in the home.
Living with flowers provides a boost of energy,
happiness and enthusiasm at work. Having flowers at home can have a positive
carry-over impact on our mood at work, too. The study found that people were
more likely to feel happier and have more enthusiasm and energy at work when flowers
were in their home living environments
M.J.
Ryan, award-winning author of the Random Acts of Kindness book
series and The Giving Heart, uses cutting-edge science to bring out the best in
people. In her books, she teaches individuals how gratitude and generosity can
result in greater happiness, health and feelings of human connectivity.
“A successful person is not necessarily someone with a lot of
money and material goods, but rather someone who is in tune with people and
knows how to touch their hearts,” says Ryan. “I can think of no other item
besides flowers that evokes such positive feelings and perceptions for both the
giver and the recipient.”
The research reveals that those who send flowers, in comparison
to other gifts, are viewed as successful, caring and emotionally intelligent
people.
In an eight-month study, the Texas A&M University research
team explored the link between flowers and plants and workplace productivity.
Participants performed creative problem solving tasks in a variety of common
office environments, or conditions. The conditions included a workplace with
flowers and plants, a setting with sculpture and an environment with no decorative
embellishments.
During the study, both women and men demonstrated more
innovative thinking, generating more ideas and original solutions to problems
in the office environment that included flowers and plants. In these
surroundings, men who participated in the study generated 15% more ideas. And,
while males generated a greater abundance of ideas, females generated more
creative, flexible solutions to problems when flowers and plants were present.
Flowers and plants lead to working smarter. Men who participated
in the study generated 30 percent more ideas when working in environments with
flowers and plants. Women generated more creative, flexible solutions to
problems in workplace environments with flowers and plants.
Although it has not been an
official study, the staff at the Flower Nook also can testify about the
benefits of sending and receiving flowers. But don’t take our word; do your own
study and send some flowers today—just because. I think you will be pleased with
the results! We would also love if you would share
your floral story with us.
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