alt Hacker NewsWe don't go birdwatching because we read somewhere that birdwatching is good for you.
We want to know what it is in birdwatching that registers as beneficial because if the factor(s) are distinct and isolated then the same benefits can be scaled outside of birdwatching.
And if you just went birdwatching because they said so, you wouldn't know why it might be beneficial to you. Or maybe there's a factor that wasn't identified separately and birdwatching itself doesn't improve your cognitive capabilities while, for many others, it supposedly does.
You would want to know you're getting benefits from whatever you decide to do if you're doing it in order to gain those benefits.
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I mean, I would sign up for a study where I am randomly assigned a hobby to pursue for the next 20 years while researchers study my health outcomes.
As a birdwatcher I strongly expect the benefit is in the identification experience and agree with this sibling comment:
> A big part of birdwatching is identifying small, fast-moving animals that exhibit specific combinations of behaviors at specific times of the year based on specific climatic conditions. That sort of rapidfire pattern matching from video and audio info is probably a big contributor to what keeps the brain sharp.
It takes time and experience to build up your identification skills but it’s really rewarding and exciting and modern tech makes it easier than ever to learn