My thanks to Prof. Marco Ivaldi for the following letter and permission to share it.
Dear Tristan,
I greatly enjoyed reading the Italian edition of your book – How to Read a Tree – published by Altrecose.
On page 274 (Chapter 14), you mention that when seated, it is easier to notice details that might go unnoticed while standing, and you wonder if there is a scientific term for this phenomenon.
I am a neuroscientist teaching at the University of Turin, and my research focuses specifically on how brain function changes depending on movement and body posture.
Well, your hypothesis is correct! The brain’s workload when seated (or lying down) differs from when standing. This appears to free up cognitive resources, allowing the brain to better focus on details that would otherwise be invisible. I have attached two of my recent papers that discuss this topic.
All the best.
Marco
Thanks Marco, very interesting and good to know!
For more about Marco’s work please see:
https://scienzesport.campusnet.unito.it/do/docenti.pl/Alias?marco_ivaldi#tab-profilo
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s42399-026-02381-0
https://www.mdpi.com/2624-6120/4/4/39
You might also enjoy:
An Italian Poem for Tree-Lovers
A Word from an Italian Arboriculturist
How to Read a Tree – The Book