Greater executive functioning (EF) protects against cognitive decline and activities that increase heart rate variability (HRV) can improve inhibitory control. Therefore, EF and HRV play a key role in healthy aging. Attention Restoration Theory and Stress Recovery Theory posit that nature exposure can improve EF and HRV, but older adults are underrepresented in this work. This study addressed this gap by examining how contact with real-world nature (RWN) and virtual reality nature (VRN) affected healthy younger and older adults’ EF, HRV, perceived stress, and affect. Participants ( N = 61) were randomized into an RWN, VRN, or an indoor control condition, and outcomes were assessed before and after 20-minute exposure to the environmental manipulation. We predicted that for both age groups, RWN and VRN would improve EF and affect, increase HRV, and reduce perceived stress compared to the control. Results partially supported hypotheses—RWN only enhanced positive affect and decreased heart rate and perceived stress among younger adults. We discuss insignificant yet interesting trends for cognitive performance and share implications, limitations, and future directions.

The amplitude of the error-related negativity (ERN) is known to be correlated with attention to task and general cognitive control abilities. Yet, previous research has struggled to consistently link ERN amplitude with behavioral accuracy or reaction time in the task from which the ERN is being measured. This lack of relationship could be due to many factors that are difficult to control for, so explorations of other converging measures to understand error processing and subsequent behavior adjustment are warranted. The current study examines how two other physiological markers of error processing—the phasic pupillary response (PDR) and the positivity following an error (Pe)— relate to post-error behavior. Additionally, we also examine relationships between the three physiological indices of error-processing. In the study, EEG and pupillometry were simultaneously recorded while participants completed 12 blocks (50 trials each) of an Erickson Flanker task. For post-error accuracy, we found that on a single trial level, the amplitude all three physiological error processing indices for error trials predicted whether participants made a correct response on the following trials. At the subject level, only the PDR predicted average post-error accuracy. For post-error slowing, at the single trial level, only the Pe predicted post-error slowing, whereas only the ERN predicted post-error slowing at the subject level. This suggests that the PDR and Pe might represent promising indicators of post-error behavior adjustment, and also highlights the need to examine relationships at multiple levels of analysis. We also found that both the ERN and Pe correlated with PDR amplitude. Results are discussed.