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Children and Nature: Psychological, Sociocultural, and Evolutionary Investigations
... Moreover, if adolescents are left out of responsibility for too long, they may not learn to manage their own lives or take on social responsibility. Kahn and Kellert (2002) describe adolescence, particularly the 14−16 age group, as a "time out" in preference for the natural environment. Olsson and Gericke, 2016 refer to this period as the "adolescent dip." ...
... However, in adolescence, there is a decline in PEBs with age (Negev et al., 2008;Olsson and Gericke, 2016;Wray-Lake et al., 2016;Krettenauer, 2017;Krettenauer et al., 2020). This phenomenon is known as "time out" (Kahn and Kellert, 2002) or "adolescent dip" (Olsson and Gericke, 2016). Adolescence being a stage of dramatic development, adolescents are eager to be free from authority and the value of social responsibility decreases at this age (Wray-Lake et al., 2016). ...
... Nevertheless, adolescence is an intense and often stressful period of development (Arnett, 1999;Pervanidou and Chrousos, 2012). Adolescents are not too concerned about environmental issues (Kahn and Kellert, 2002;Negev et al., 2008;Uitto et al., 2011;Otto and Kaiser, 2014;Abraham et al., 2015;Wray-Lake et al., 2017). They are at a particular stage of social responsibility "moratorium" (Erikson, 1994), and it is clear that existing research has not paid enough attention to them. ...
A large number of existing studies have discussed the potential factors affecting pro-environmental behaviors (PEBs) in adolescents. However, few studies have focused on the possible impact of adolescents’ subjective wellbeing (SWB) on their PEBs. Why and how adolescents’ SWB affects their PEBs remains a puzzle. To unravel this puzzle, this paper aims to establish a suitable instrumental variable (IV) to correctly estimate the contribution of adolescents’ SWB to their PEBs. Using the international data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) ‘s Programme for International Student Assessment 2018, we construct a unique dataset of eight countries or economies, which includes 56,374 samples related to the SWB and PEBs of 15-year-old students. In this paper, the days of physical education classes in school per week are used as the IV. Through a two-stage least squares method, we find that the contribution of adolescents’ SWB to PEBs is significantly positive. We also find that the pathway by which SWB improves PEBs works through adolescents’ self-efficacy. Furthermore, the results indicate that the positive impact of SWB on PEBs is more pronounced among adolescents with better peer relationships and stronger multicultural values. Our findings highlight the influence of positive affects in cultivating adolescent’ PEBs and the importance of growing up surrounded by happiness.
... A hallmark of EE field trip programs is that they often occur in natural settings and provide immersive hands-on experiences (e.g., McCrea, 2006; NAAEE Guidelines for Excellence, 2021; Simmons, 2018). Researchers suggest that exposure to nature and natural settings during middle childhood and early adolescence (ages 10-14, roughly middle school-aged) can positively impact youths' academic performance and cognitive and moral development (Kellert, 2005;Kahn & Kellert, 2002;White & Stoecklin, 2008). Thus, it is assumed that an important component of a successful EE field trip program is immersive and interactive experiences in natural environments. ...
... Biophilia, based in sociobiology, suggests that people have a genetic predisposition and an innate tendency to bond with the natural world (Kellert, 2005;Kellert & Wilson 1993;White & Stoecklin, 2008). Biophilia also suggests that because humans evolved in nature, interacting with the natural world underpins children's healthy physical, emotional, and intellectual development (e.g., Kahn & Kellert, 2002;Van Dijk-Wesselius et al., 2018). While conceptualized as a genetic predisposition, the theory also emphasizes the need to properly nurture biophilia throughout childhood (Kellert, 2005;Kahn & Kellert, 2002;White & Stoecklin, 2008). ...
... Biophilia also suggests that because humans evolved in nature, interacting with the natural world underpins children's healthy physical, emotional, and intellectual development (e.g., Kahn & Kellert, 2002;Van Dijk-Wesselius et al., 2018). While conceptualized as a genetic predisposition, the theory also emphasizes the need to properly nurture biophilia throughout childhood (Kellert, 2005;Kahn & Kellert, 2002;White & Stoecklin, 2008). Regular opportunities to learn about and have positive experiences in natural environments can nurture biophilia and promote its associated benefits in children (Chawla et al., 2014;Kellert, 2005;Kellert 1997;Sobel 2002;White & Stoecklin, 2008). ...
Environmental education (EE) field trip programs in the United States often take place in outdoor, natural settings. Such natural environments provide ample opportunity for hands-on and immersive learning to occur, which may allow for positive cognitive and moral development in children. However, recent research on the impact of more natural settings on youths’ academic success has produced mixed outcomes, suggesting that the relationship between levels of naturalness and student success is more complex than previously assumed. Utilizing student surveys collected during 283 EE field trip programs and remotely sensed land cover data, this study examines the relationship between levels of naturalness and student learning outcomes for students in grades 5-8. This study also examined whether differences in levels of naturalness between students’ day-to-day environment and the field trip setting influences student learning outcomes while also controlling for grade level, race of participants, and socioeconomic status (SES). Findings indicate a significant, positive relationship between levels of naturalness and positive student learning outcomes during EE field trip programming. Additionally, novel levels of naturalness also had a positive relationship with student learning outcomes. However, only a small percentage of variance is explained by these two variables, suggesting that many other EE field trip program characteristics likely drive positive student outcomes.
... Kahn (1999) proposed that culture, social experience, and direct experience with nature influence people's biophilia tendencies. Kahn and Kellert (2002) also suggested the same concept, which is that humans need additional learning and experience to enhance biophilic tendencies. Kahn and Kellert (2002) further explored humans' relationship with nature and described it as demonstrating dependencies and values. ...
... Kahn and Kellert (2002) also suggested the same concept, which is that humans need additional learning and experience to enhance biophilic tendencies. Kahn and Kellert (2002) further explored humans' relationship with nature and described it as demonstrating dependencies and values. The nine values are utilitarian, naturalistic, ecologistic-scientific, aesthetic, symbolic, humanistic, moralistic, dominionistic, and negativistic. ...
... Nonetheless, in this study, even though the children did not convey themselves as part of nature and most of them saw themselves as not being part of nature, the children still appreciate and feel connected to nature. This study also supports the biophilia typology in that the children described nature by referring to utilitarian, naturalistic, humanistic, ecologistic-scientific, moralistic, and negativistic values (Kahn & Kellert, 2002). Even though Kellert (2005) suggested that utilitarian and negativistic values decrease during middle childhood, this present study found that children in middle childhood still describe nature by referring to utilitarian and negativistic values. ...
Children’s perceptions towards nature during childhood is crucial as it affects a child behaviour towards the environment and nature in later life as an adult. However, the number of children playing in the outdoor environment where nature exists including rural areas is rapidly declining. The phenomenon of the disconnection with the natural world will develop gaps between children and nature and subsequently may also breed apathy towards the natural environment. Therefore, this study investigates rural children’s definition and perceptions on nature. Finding suggests that it is important to reconnect children with nature. The directions for future research are also discussed. Keywords: Children; nature; definition; perception eISSN: 2398-4287 © 2022. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA cE-Bs by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open access article under the CC BYNC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians/Africans/Arabians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia.DOI: https://doi.org/10.21834/ebpj.v7i21.3703
... A abstração prematura acerca de problemas ambientais tais como mudanças climáticas, aquecimento global ou buraco na camada de ozônio, mortes de espécies marinhas pela deposição de plásticos nos oceanos, entre outros, embora sejam importantes problemas planetários que afetam a todos, podem ser de pouco significado imediato para a criança e gerar o consequente desinteresse pelas questões ambientais (WITHE, 2004). Neste sentido, segundo Kellert (2002), a experiência e o contato com a natureza têm mais influência sobre aspectos afetivos e cognitivos do que qualquer educador. ...
... Para a elaboração deste trabalho, utilizou-se a pesquisa bibliográfica de revisão narrativa. O estudo descritivo analisou artigos científicos a partir das perspectivas da "extinção das experiências" (PYLE, 1993), da importância das atividades de contato direto de natureza no desenvolvimento da criança (KELLERT, 1993;2002), o conceito de biofilia (WILSON ,1984) e a técnica de análise de desenhos infantis. ...
... Se consideramos que o conhecimento cultural é geralmente adquirido na tenra idade e que o que as pessoas experimentam durante sua infância influenciam, em grande parte, as futuras fases da vida (CHAWLA,1999;KELLERT, 2002), as experiências e contatos precoces com a natureza são essenciais para gerar o consequente impacto no destino de sociedades cada vez mais orientadas pelos princípios da sustentabilidade. ...
This article discusses theoretical-methodological concepts about the relationship between child-environment interaction and Environmental Education (EE), aiming to contribute to the sustainability debate. Through a bibliographical search we analyze the current decline or even extinction of experiences of direct and continuous contact with the nature and importance of the natural environments for the awareness and the development of Biophilia of the new generations. In addition, some examples of successful research that corroborate the necessary relationship between learning, awareness and direct experiences in nature have also been described. Finally, we present a brief analysis of the technique of drawing as an important tool used in the investigation of children's environmental perceptions.
... 62-68), kokemuksellista tai affektiivista yhteyttä luontoon (Mayer & Frantz, 2004). Luontosuhteessa voidaan erottaa osa-alueita kuten luonnosta nauttiminen, empatia eliöitä kohtaan, ykseyden tunne ja vastuuntunto luontoa kohtaan (Cheng & Monroe, 2012;Ernst & Theimer, 2011;Talebpour ym., 2020), tai luontosuhde voi olla esimerkiksi virkistyksellinen, tieteellinen, esteettinen tai utilitaristinen (Kellert, 2002). Luontosuhteessa keskeistä on luonnon merkitys yksilölle ja se, miten luonto ilmenee yksilön elämässä ja millaista arvoa ihminen luonnolle antaa (Cantell, 2011, s. 332). ...
... esim. Cheng & Monroe, 2012;Jeronen, 2020;Kellert, 2002). Onnistunut aistikäynti suolle voi luontosuhteen vahvistumisen myötä johdattaa oppilaita kohti ympäristövastuullisempaa toimintaa ja voimistaa heidän haluaan vaikuttaa ympäristöasioihin (ks. ...
Tutkimuksessa tarkastellaan, mitä pedagogisia aistimisen mahdollisuuksia luokanopettajaopiskelijat näkevät autenttisessa suo-oppimisympäristössä ja mitä opetuksen tavoitteita he yhdistävät aistikokemusten tietoiseen tarkasteluun suoretken aikana. Opiskelijoiden tehtävänä oli miettiä perusopetuksen vuosiluokkien 5.–6. opetusta. Aineisto kerättiin luokanopettajaopintoihin kuuluvan maastoretken aikana, jolloin opiskelijat vastasivat kirjalliseen verkkokyselyymme suon laidalla. Tutkimuksen aineistona on 254 ehdotusta aistimahdollisuuksista ja 44 erittelyä opetuksen tavoitteista tietoisen aistimisen tehtävissä. Opiskelijat viittaavat eniten tunto- ja kuuloaistiin, joiden lisäksi haju-, näkö- ja makuaistiin on useita viittauksia. Aineistossa aisteja kuvataan faktatiedon tuojina, ja aistittavaa löydetään sekä elollisesta että elottomasta luonnosta. Opiskelijat luettelevat aistitehtäviin sopivia opetuksen tavoitteita, joista erottuu oppilaan tieto-, taito- ja tunneosaamisen vahvistaminen. Opiskelijat myös kuvailevat, kuinka aistitehtävät ovat merkityksellisiä opettajalle opetuksen toteutuksessa. Tutkimus havainnollistaa, mitä pedagogisia aistimahdollisuuksia suo voi tarjota alakoulun opetuksessa, millainen aistimisen alusta se voi olla ja miten luokanopettajaopiskelijat ohjaisivat oppilaitaan tekemään aistihavaintoja osana kasvatusta ja ympäristöopin opetusta. Autenttisessa suo-oppimisympäristössä toteutettu tutkimus tarjoaa näkökulman aistimisen ja kehollisen oppimisen hyödyntämiseen ympäristöopissa ja myös luonnontieteissä ja ympäristökasvatuksessa laajemmin. Pedagogisten aistimahdollisuuksien luominen on tapa edistää oppilaiden myönteistä luontosuhdetta ja ympäristöherkkyyttä sekä vahvistaa ymmärrystä luonnon arvosta ja kestävästä tulevaisuudesta. Sensing in the swamp – primary school teacher students’ suggestions about pedagogical sensory possibilities in the swamp The study examines what pedagogical sensory possibilities primary school teacher students see in an authentic swamp learning environment and what objectives of teaching they associate with conscious observation of sensory experiences during a swamp excursion. The students were tasked with thinking about the teaching of the 5th and 6th grades of basic education. The data was collected during a field trip that is part of the primary school teacher studies. The students answered our written online questionnaire in the swamp. The data consists of 254 suggestions on sensory possibilities and 44 specifications on the teaching objectives in the tasks of conscious sensory. Students refer most often to the senses of touch and hearing, in addition to which there are several references to the senses of smell, sight and taste. The data depicts the senses as the bringers of factual knowledge, and objects able to sense are found in both animate and inanimate natures. Students list the objectives of teaching that are suitable for sensory tasks, from which stand out the strengthening of the pupil's knowledge, skills and emotional competence. Students also describe how sensory tasks are relevant to the teacher in the implementation of teaching. The study illustrates what pedagogical sensory opportunities a swamp can offer in primary school teaching, what kind of platform of sensory it can be, and how primary school teacher students would guide their pupils to make sensory perceptions as part of education and environmental education. Research carried out in an authentic swamp learning environment offers a perspective on the use of sensing and bodily learning in environmental studies and in natural sciences and environmental education more broadly too. Creating pedagogical sensory opportunities is a way to promote positive relations to nature and environmental sensitivity among pupils and to strengthen understanding about the value of nature and a sustainable future. Keywords: senses, relation to nature, environmental education, swamp Fulltext in Finnish.
... Human ideas involving both spirituality and sustainability are presented in the literature as being shaped by culture, upbringing, socialisation, and formative childhood experiences (Bunting and Cousins 1985;Chawla 2002;Kellert 2002;MacDonald 2015;Güler Yıldız et al. 2021). Although Wilson's (1984) "Biophilia Hypothesis" suggests all humans are born with a certain connection to nature, a significant body of research suggests that positive affectivity is not silently inherited but must rather be nurtured, encouraged, and cultivated via experiences in nature (Berto et al. 2018;Kahn and Kellert 2002;Wilson 2012;Clayton and Myers 2015). ...
... Human ideas involving both spirituality and sustainability are presented in the literature as being shaped by culture, upbringing, socialisation, and formative childhood experiences (Bunting and Cousins 1985;Chawla 2002;Kellert 2002;MacDonald 2015;Güler Yıldız et al. 2021). Although Wilson's (1984) "Biophilia Hypothesis" suggests all humans are born with a certain connection to nature, a significant body of research suggests that positive affectivity is not silently inherited but must rather be nurtured, encouraged, and cultivated via experiences in nature (Berto et al. 2018;Kahn and Kellert 2002;Wilson 2012;Clayton and Myers 2015). While the biophilia hypothesis has also been criticised (e.g. ...
There is a paucity of research that examines the relationship between spirituality and sustainable development, including in relation to Indigenous or non-Western worldviews. This Comment argues that closer integration of spirituality and sustainability will enable more effective and sustainable strategies for future development.
... El modelo HEYDI se basa en conceptos provenientes de la ecología de paisaje (Bernáldez, 1985) y de la ecología evolutiva (Kahn & Kellert, 2002). El desarrollo de nuestra especie se labró a través de al menos 300mil años de evolución de las comunidades humanas de cazadoresrecolectores en constante interacción con el ambiente. ...
... En busca de una educación crítica e inclusiva-1079 características que nos constituyen como parte de la especie, desde nuestras extremidades y órganos a nuestro cerebro, se fue poniendo a punto en esta interacción con el ambiente. Es por tanto el ambiente natural el contexto óptimo para los mecanismos humanos más biológicos, el que nos ofrece un mayor bienestar psicofísico, el ambiente que sabe entender e interpretar nuestro paquete adaptativo (Kahn & Kellert, 2002). ...
Entre 2017 y 2019 el CEIP Ramon María del Valle Inclán en el barrio de San Blas (Madrid) impulsó, a través de metodologías IAP, el diseño y transformación de su patio escolar creando el modelo HEYDI-Patios que educan, un abordaje transdisciplinar basado en el enfoque ecológico de la educación, la ecología humana y la psicología ambiental. Transcurridos 3 años de su inauguración hemos evaluado el efecto que ha tenido este modelo de patio sobre la comunidad educativa. A través de la investigación se han descrito los efectos del mismo sobre el sistema escolar describiendo los impactos multinivel sobre lo personal, la docencia, la organización de centro y la gestión administrativa. A través del cambio de modelo de patio escolar el centro ha logrado revertir la estigmatización que sufría, eliminar la fuga de matrícula a otros centros, captar talento docente, así como mejorar los procesos educativos en el patio escolar, cambiando importantes dinámicas de centro. Las conclusiones de esta investigación muestran la efectividad del modelo HEYDI para ofrecer un patio escolar promotor del desarrollo infantil y la educación, con alcances transformadores sobre todos los niveles de la comunidad educativa.
... This trend is universal in application, especially in developed countries where changes have been witnessed in the way children engage in active or sedentary leisure activities during their formative years of growth and development (Beyer et al., 2015;Brussoni et al., 2018;Sahlberg & Doyle, 2019). Children are increasingly becoming estranged from the natural world and have become dissociated with behaviours involving risky play (Gray, 2018a(Gray, , b, 2019(Gray, , 2022Henebery, 2023;Kahn & Kellert, 2002;Louv, 2010;Mygind et al., 2019Mygind et al., , 2021Sandseter, 2010). ...
Adult values, attitudes, behaviours, and beliefs are factors that shape childhood exposure to risk-taking experiences. This study examined the role of adults in supporting children’s play and learning in a high-risk park environment. Considering this context, our research incorporated a two-phased mixed-methods approach to explore parent and caregiver perceptions of a bespoke Australian outdoor “nature play park” named Boongaree. Quantitative data collected from participants ( n = 302) investigated playground visitation patterns, and qualitative data were collected around parents’ and caregivers’ insights around the benefits and challenges of the park. A noteworthy finding that emerged was the parents’ and caregivers’ strong support of children’s risky play at this park and how the park supported the children’s development. Nine emergent themes from the qualitative data showed that the adults supported their children’s engagement with this high-risk park as it offered opportunities to (1) engage with an innovative nature play park, (2) be challenged and solve problems, (3) connect to the outdoors, (4) have fun, (5) direct their own play, (6) be physically active, (7) be creative and curious, (8) demonstrate confidence and independence, and (9) build social capacity. Finally, our study concluded that the risk appetite or risk tolerance level of parents’ and caregivers’ is one of the primary factors underpinning their desire to engage (and re-engage) with risky nature play opportunities for their child.
... One of the significant determinants of ecological sensory intelligence is the environmentally-aware behaviour [22,23]. The rich ecological sensory experience of direct connection with nature have been linked to increased creativity, awareness, wellness, environmental sensitivity, development of ecological consciousness, a sense of awe and personal transformation [24][25][26][27][28][29]. Environmental awareness refers to how people perceive themselves in reference to nature, as living, breathing beings connected to the rhythms of the Earth [30]. ...
There are multiple evolutionary adaptations and multiple intelligences found in human and non-human living beings. The ecological-sensory intelligence is thread of general intelligence that permeates into both human and non-human beings. It is defined as the uniting quanta of general intelligence among all living beings measured by the ability of acquiring environmental awareness, consciousness and sensitivity to the total environment and its allied problems. Human receive a sense of psychological well-being from interacting with the environment. There exists a natural intelligence which is the root criterion of ecological sensitivity and well-being in all life forces. This paper tries to explore the relationship between eco-sensory intelligence and well-being of the human individuals. Total 304 male subjects participated in the study. The environment awareness ability measure, PGI general well-being measure and test of general intelligence were used to measure the variables of the study. The results showed that significant difference was found between general intelligence IQ and well-being (F=3.44; p<.01), no significant difference was found between general intelligence and eco-sensory intelligence. The significant mean differences found among pairs of above average IQ (level 1) and below average IQ (level 5) with mean difference = 5.31, SE=1.50 (p<.01); average IQ (level 3) and below average IQ (level 5) with mean difference = 4.21, SE=1.37 (p<.05) and just below average IQ (level 4) and below average IQ (level 5) with mean difference = 4.68, SE=1.53 (p<.05). A significant positive relationship was found between eco-sensory intelligence and well-being (r = 0.231; p <.01).
... Notwithstanding right-left politics, environmental attitudes and engagement reflect personal values (Clayton and Opotow, 2004), cognitive capacities, emotional and moral sensibilities, childhood experiences (Kahn and Kellert, 2002), culture and education (Kahn, 1999), and their rural/urban contexts (Hinds and Sparks, 2008). Environmental attitudes are thus formed through personal identity, traits, experiences, and values. ...
The natural environments of conflict arenas often embody invisible contexts for political analysis. This study questions how environmental agendas are framed and acted upon by mid-level environmental professionals engaged in land-focused conflict. Ideological attachment to contested land together with engagement in the polemics of conflict, facilitate unique engagements with environmental agendas, particularly regarding open space preservation. This engagement prioritizes conflict-related goals and thus creates discrepancies between environmental knowledge, attitudes, and actions. Our study focuses on Israeli West Bank settlers who serve as mid-level environmental professionals and share professional dilemmas. Mid-level environmental professionals, rather than high-level policy and decision makers, are “street-level bureaucrats” and therefore a potentially novel and revealing source of environmental positions within the settler community. Through interviews focused on Israeli environment-related policies in the West Bank, we reveal disparities between environmental knowledge and the positions grounded in this group’s political identity and loyalties and identify the three particular harmonizing strategies employed in narrating the realities of their professional initiatives and agendas. We expose a distinct dual agenda, one which acknowledges environmental values and concerns, and yet only selectively recognizes and engages in goals of open space preservation when these challenge settlement infrastructure and expansion. These environmental discrepancies can be interpreted as the cynical political manipulation of environmental values, yet we propose that at a mid-level professional level, they can serve as self-rationalization in resolving dual loyalties to both political and environmental agendas. Personal realities and life experiences of environmental professionals affected by the conflict are identified as significant to the design and support of the resulting selective environmental agenda.
... Unstructured play, indoors or outdoors, and the time spent improves physical wellness, cognition, mental wellness and general happiness in children across cultures (Bento & Dias, 2017). Scholars have suggested that outdoor, free and nature-rich play also supports healthy brain development by encouraging exploration and strengthening orientation, decision-making skills and the ability to respond to a changing context (Kahn & Kellert, 2002). ...
Background
Physical activity-based interventions to improve children’s wellbeing is a fast-growing research domain. Attention is being directed to unstructured play, dance, and popular forms of mind-body wellness techniques such as yoga and meditation. Immigrant children in resource-rich countries are a growing population. Physical education, recreation, and dance-related interventions are gaining prominence for helping immigrants adjust to new surroundings.
Objectives
This pre-study aims to compare the impact of unstructured play, dance sessions, and yoga-meditation sessions on US-based South Asian immigrant children’s happiness outcomes.
Method
A three-group comparison proof-of-concept study was undertaken with outcomes compared for the three cohorts at pre- and post-test stages.
Results
Participants in the yoga-meditation sessions reported significantly higher scores on the happiness measures compared to unstructured play and dance sessions participants (Hedges’ s g=0.48 –0.68, p=.002–.034). Immigrant girls, whose primary caregiver parent had higher formal education (postgraduate degree/professional degree), who lived in a standard family arrangement (with both parents and siblings), and whose intervention compliance was higher (>50% attendance and homework completion), gained more. Tobit model-fit statistics and parameters further suggested that it was possible to estimate the extent of post-test changes in outcomes due to yoga-meditation sessions attended and homework completed alone, controlling for significant socio-demographics.
Conclusions
Yoga-meditation sessions could be useful, diversity-accepting, and inclusive tropes for US-dwelling South Asian immigrant children’s psychological wellness and happiness. Further modifications may be needed for boys, immigrant children with less formally educated primary caregiver parents and living in alternative family set-ups (such as with one parent and/or caregiver).
... A este respecto, Robert Michael Pyle (2003) acuñó la noción "extinción de la experiencia", y la describió como un proceso que emerge cuando las especies comunes de plantas y animales (así como las características culturales, arquitectónicas, o cualquier manifestación de la diversidad, no solamente biológica) van desapareciendo de un entorno y de su cotidianeidad, de forma que la infancia y la adolescencia crecen habituados a su ausencia. Además, el sobreuso de las tecnologías está contribuyendo a que las vivencias vicarias alcancen un protagonismo cada vez mayor en detrimento de las experiencias directas y primarias (Kellert, 2002). Al respecto, como sostiene Pyle (2011), esas experiencias superficiales nunca podrán suplir a las reales y, especialmente, a aquéllas vinculadas con los espacios naturales. ...
El objetivo de este trabajo es analizar el grado de alfabetización de los adolescentes de la provincia de Pontevedra (Galicia-España) sobre la biodiversidad local, a través del estudio del influjo de las variables: ocio en contacto con la naturaleza, lugar de residencia, valores familiares, género y edad. A partir de un muestreo por cuotas cruzadas se aplicó un cuestionario elaborado ad hoc y se obtuvieron 683 casos válidos. Para el análisis de los datos se usaron pruebas no paramétricas y se realizó un análisis descriptivo. Se constata que el conocimiento de los adolescentes es limitado, que aquéllos que tienen más ocio en la naturaleza y habitan en zonas rurales identifican más especies y que la familia influye en este conocimiento. En síntesis, se enfatiza la importancia de educar y promover experiencias de ocio en la naturaleza para aumentar el conocimiento sobre la biodiversidad local, valorarla y protegerla.
The goal of this work is to analyze the degree of literacy in teenagers of the Pontevedra province (Galicia-Spain) regarding local biodiversity. We obtained this by studying the influence of the following variables: leisure related to contact with nature, place of residence, family values, gender, and age. Through a cross quota sampling we applied an ad hoc questionnaire and obtained 683 valid cases. To analyze our data, we used non-parametric tests and a descriptive analysis. We confirmed knowledge among teenagers is limited. Those with greater leisure time to spend in nature and those who live in rural zones identified more species. Family does have an influence on this knowledge. In short, this emphasized the importance of education and promoting leisure experiences within nature so as to increase, value and protect knowledge on local biodiversity.
... There is a growing need to connect these individuals with nature to avoid future mental health problems. Daily contact with greenery is viewed as essential for reinforcing and forging favorable emotions toward nature in adults (Kellert 2002;Pyle 1993). Several studies have demonstrated that involvement with nature at an early age increases the preference for and interest in nature (Bixler et al. 2002;Cheng and Monroe 2012). ...
Reducing stress associated with technology and the use of electronics is a major issue among Chinese adults. However, no studies have investigated the effect of tactile stimulation of the feet. In this study, we investigated psychophysiological techniques for controlling stress by having participants touch natural materials with the sole of the foot. The study included 90 young Chinese adults with a mean (±SD) age of 21.2 ± 2.7 years. A crossover design was used to examine psychological and physiological differences between touching grass with the sole of the foot and touching wood (control) for 10 minutes. Physiological assessments included blood pressure measurements and electroencephalog-raphy, and psychological assessments included the Semantic Differential Method (SDM) and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). We observed significant decreases in sys-tolic and diastolic blood pressures in the experimental condition compared with the control condition, along with increases in alpha and beta activities. SDM results indicated that participants were moderately comfortable, very relaxed, and experienced reduced anxiety after stimulation with grass compared with after the control condition. Mean attention and relaxation scores were also significantly higher in the experimental condition than in the control condition. Thus, our results suggest that touching grass with the sole of the foot can lower psychophysiological stress in adults.
... Health and education overlap in nature-based education, including impacts on physical activity, mental wellbeing, social wellbeing and other aspects of holistic health, including the suggestion that spiritual health can be improved (Kahn & Kellert, 2002;Schaffer & Kraftl, 2017). Although reservations have been expressed in relation to removing children from their everyday settings, within an indigenous context, initiatives are about connecting with whenua in different ways and reconnecting rather than a total departure from the everyday. ...
There are significant Māori led initiatives in Aotearoa New Zealand that seek to uplift the wellbeing of people and whenua through assertion of rangatiratanga, connection and reconnection. Rangatiratanga, combined with other living philosophies and practices such as ahi kā, manaakitanga, mana whenua and kaitiakitanga, provides a foundation for the development and implementation of such initiatives. One common expression of Māori (and non-Māori) community action in relation to respectful environmental relationships and connection, is through community gardens. This approach to collective food production is recognised for its ability to increase access to fresh, healthy food, promote physical activity, build community, and share knowledge and practices in relation to food gardens. Mārakai, as they are known in Māori communities have multiplied to the point where they can be found in most towns around the country. My doctoral study is set at Tārereare, a small holding of Māori-owned land situated on top of Mangaone Hill, in New Plymouth city. A relocated house serves as a whare for the mana whenua, Ngāti Tāwhirikura hapῡ, one of eight hapū that make up Te Atiawa iwi. Adjacent to this is an additional acre of land no longer owned by the hapū that has been converted into a mārakai known as Te Moeone. I worked with Ngāti Tāwhirikura hapū as they pursued the reignition of ahi kā, a vision articulated in their aspirations framework, developed in response to a challenging Treaty claims settlement process. To achieve this, I followed the development and implementation of their food-production vision and other related initiatives aimed at restoring their social, cultural, and environmental wellbeing. Through haerenga kitea video records, qualitative interviews, hui and wānanga, we explored the reconnection of the hapū to their tūrangawaewae through the mārakai. The story of the mārakai is one of tensions and challenges inherent in the Treaty claims settlement process and the emergence of the aspirations framework to assert values of peace, rangatiratanga and ahi kā. As a vehicle to pursue these aspirations, the mārakai brought the hapū and other community members together, with impacts across multiple domains of identity, mana, hauora and hapūtanga. ii
... If youth are to act to mitigate the negative consequences of GCC, it is essential that they appreciate the natural environments they will ultimately help to preserve (Chawla, 2020a). People have a basic need and propensity to connect with the natural world, often referred to as biophilia (Kellert, 2002;Wilson, 1986). Biophilia can manifest in feelings of connection to nature, which involves an emotional attachment to nature (Chawla, 2020a;Green, 2018) and a dispositional tendency to empathize with the natural world (Tam et al., 2013). ...
This chapter first summarizes how the consequences of global climate change (GCC) can harm young people's well-being through physical health impacts and awareness of GCC. We then outline how youth may cope with GCC by denying the problem, distancing themselves from it, or taking individual actions. However, the coping strategy shown to have the best mental well-being outcomes relates to collective actions and agency. Next, an examination of school-based GCC interventions reveals that engaging, participatory approaches may be more effective in promoting positive outcomes for youth and climate action. Our main contribution is a discussion of how the evidence-based design of learning environments presents an undeveloped but potentially effective way to enhance interventions for the development of constructive GCC coping strategies among youth. Utilizing environmental affordances and design as scaffolding can guide the design of learning environments that give youth opportunities for active cognitive, emotional, and physical engagement with climate change education. Natural environments may be particularly effective in supporting active engagement and pathways to constructive coping. More research is needed to understand what design features underly these pathways to improved well-being and GCC coping strategies that may have positive implications for youth climate action.
... Children and the aging population are two user groups GI should consider when planning, assessing, and targeting better spaces. Interaction with nature is vital to children's brain development (Kahn Jr andKellert, 2002, Kellert, 2012). They are arenas for play, exploration, and education. ...
... A number of retrospective studies have linked frequent outdoor experiences and direct interaction with nature during early childhood to the development of a positive attitude toward the environment (Bögeholz, 2006;Chawla, 1998;1999;Palmberg & Kuru, 2000;Wells & Lekies, 2006) and later career development (Kahn & Kellert, 2002;Peterson & Hungerford, 1981;Tanner, 1990). There is little research on whether attendance at FNSs promotes nature relatedness and environmentally responsible behavior. ...
... Despite this, there is some evidence that suggests outdoor learning in natural environments is gaining global momentum (Mann et al. 2022). The potency of nature-rich teaching and learning is being underpinned by evidence-based research which suggests a myriad developmental and wellbeing benefits for children and adolescents (Kahn and Kellert 2002;Mann et al. 2022). Furthermore, giving children these experiences could help achieve the United Nations' sustainable development goals (SDGs) as evidence suggests people who feel more connected to nature will do more to protect it (Mackay and Schmitt 2019). ...
The COVID-19 crisis forced educators globally to reassess delivery of their curricula and educational priorities. Already the worsening climate crisis amid human beings’ deleterious relationship with the more-than-human world has caused many educators to demand radical reconsiderations as to the purpose and meaning of education. We ask: how did the disruption of mainstream schooling, during the COVID-19 crisis, provide opportunities that we can learn from so that we may improve our future relationship with the more-than-human world? We examine research that shows children can benefit from outdoor, contemplative pedagogical approaches that differ from their usual indoor classroom experience. Outdoor, contemplative pedagogical approaches involving freedom from “clock-time”, as were experienced by some children during the lockdowns, can allow for ways of knowing and states of being that are often marginalised or excluded from mainstream schools in industrial growth societies. We draw on underpinning theory that argues the status quo in schools conforms to a factory model of schooling that prioritises limited ways of knowing and states of being, thus, lacking the perspectives needed to enable children to cultivate a sustained, healthy relationship with nature. We suggest that outdoor contemplative approaches are required that allow children to dwell pedagogically and experience their relationship with the more-than-human world.
... All inductions do not necessarily lie in the psychological interaction between teachers and students, or even the interaction between animal teaching and the psychological level of students. The book entitled Children and Nature: Psychological, Sociocultural and Evolutionary Investigations by Kahn and Kellert (2004), the importance of using animals for education is emphasized, especially for animals that are comfortable with the presence/interaction with humans so that children can develop parenting relationships is explained. By observing and interacting with animals and plants in nature, we can develop the connection to nature/ nature connectedness (Cheng and Monroe 2012). ...
... Orman okulu yaklaşımı, yapılandırmacı pedagojinin ilkeleri ile şekillenmiş ve değerlerini belirlemiştir (Kahn & Kellert, 2002). Oyunu temel alan bir programla, araştıran ve sorgulayan çocuklar deneyim kazanır; böylelikle hem fiziksel hem de sosyal dünyayla etkileşime girme ve bağ kurma olanağı bulurlar (Coates & Pimlott-Wilson, 2018). ...
... The myriad benefits that humans accrue from time spent in natural outdoor spaces are well documented and include improved physical health, mental health and wellbeing, and creativity [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]. There is also growing evidence documenting the numerous benefits to child development from spending time outdoors [10][11][12][13] including physical and mental health impacts but in addition to these are indicative benefits to children's cognitive, academic attainment, and physical activity levels [14][15][16][17], outcomes which are also documented across systematic reviews of the literature [11,[18][19][20]. Less referenced in the literature are the impacts of nature on children's language, communication and social development. ...
There has been increasing interest over the past decade with regard to the health and wellbeing implications of time spent outdoors in nature for children. Universal systematic reviews of evidence report benefits to physical health, social-emotional mental health and wellbeing, cognition and academic learning. Internationally, there is indicative evidence to suggest outdoor engagement with nature may also impact children's language and communication skills, skills that are critical to development, education, social relationships and life opportunities. Yet, at present such evidence has not been synthesised. Despite evidence for the benefits of the outdoors, the amount of time children are spending outdoors is in rapid decline, and has been further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Alongside this are increasing numbers of children starting primary education with significant speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) which remain persistent over time. With established wide-reaching benefits of nature to children's physical and mental health and psychological development, there is a need to further explore the more specific impacts of the natural environment on children's language, communication and social skills, which could provide a unique opportunity to consider nature as a universal public health intervention for SLCN. The current review will aim to synthesise existing qualitative and quantitative evidence of the impact of time spent in natural outdoor spaces on the language, communication and social skills of 2-11-year-old children. Literature will be searched across seven databases and considered for inclusion against inclusion and exclusion criteria. Potential implications of the review include informing public health practice and policy for child development and education, informing priorities for speech, language, and communication interventions, and providing directions for future international research.
... All inductions do not necessarily lie in the psychological interaction between teachers and students, or even the interaction between animal teaching and the psychological level of students. The book entitled Children and Nature: Psychological, Sociocultural and Evolutionary Investigations by Kahn and Kellert (2004), the importance of using animals for education is emphasized, especially for animals that are comfortable with the presence/interaction with humans so that children can develop parenting relationships is explained. By observing and interacting with animals and plants in nature, we can develop the connection to nature/ nature connectedness (Cheng and Monroe 2012). ...
In the first chapter, we discussed the definition of environmental education. In Chap. 2 , we discuss environmental education based on the pragmatic view of environmental protection. This view is that the interpretation of the living environment is complicated, but because the process of human reasoning it is finite in nature. Our actions should be rooted in our past history, philosophy, and experience in environmental protection that may allow improvement of our physicalenvironment. The essential part of this process is the ability to recognize the components of our ecosystems that can be managed and when adaptation is the only option or survival.
... All inductions do not necessarily lie in the psychological interaction between teachers and students, or even the interaction between animal teaching and the psychological level of students. The book entitled Children and Nature: Psychological, Sociocultural and Evolutionary Investigations by Kahn and Kellert (2004), the importance of using animals for education is emphasized, especially for animals that are comfortable with the presence/interaction with humans so that children can develop parenting relationships is explained. By observing and interacting with animals and plants in nature, we can develop the connection to nature/ nature connectedness (Cheng and Monroe 2012). ...
The concept of education is changing and that of the environment is also becoming different. Is environmental education: (1) a type of education to improve the environment; (2) education to improve the environment of education; or (3) a type of education to improve the education of people? In this chapter we focus on the ontology of the environment. In epistemology, we try to understand the nature and identity of the world around us and what environmental education is about. The purpose of environmental education is to cultivate citizens that: (1) have a working knowledge of environmental systems; (2) have concerns about environmental problems; and (3) have the capabilities to solve and actively participate in implementing solutions. Environmental problems must be solved through a root cause process, and environmental educators need to change the public’smind on environmental issues using realistic and attainable education targets to establish environmentally friendly behaviors. Through outdoor, classroom, and nature-centered education programs, our goal is to establish important curriculumgoals and novellearning methods for environmental education. Our goal is to have stakeholders consider environmental issues with open minds, understand the needs of other stakeholders, take a leadership role recognizing the existing and emerging environmental issues, and internalize them into specific environmental protective action plans.
... All inductions do not necessarily lie in the psychological interaction between teachers and students, or even the interaction between animal teaching and the psychological level of students. The book entitled Children and Nature: Psychological, Sociocultural and Evolutionary Investigations by Kahn and Kellert (2004), the importance of using animals for education is emphasized, especially for animals that are comfortable with the presence/interaction with humans so that children can develop parenting relationships is explained. By observing and interacting with animals and plants in nature, we can develop the connection to nature/ nature connectedness (Cheng and Monroe 2012). ...
Environmental Education (EE) promotes the complex interrelationships between humanculture and ecosystems. Due to the political nature of environmental decision-making, the field of Environmental Education faces many disputes. For example: What is the correct definition and purpose of environmental education? Should the curriculum include environmental values and ethics, as well as ecological and economicconcepts and skills? What is the role of student environmental action in correcting environmental problems? What is the appropriate role for teachers in developing curricula on environmental education? At what age students should understand environmental issues? What types of Environmental Education should urban, suburban, and rural youth receive? What technology can be used to slow ecological damage? Among these problems, Outdoor Education and Environmental Education also face the problems mentioned above. Due to the political factors of human environmental decision-making, Outdoor Education and Environmental Education have been in an undefined state. Educators continually devise better ways to expand the definition of outdoor education to improve the philosophy and practical work of outdoor education. Outdoor education includes eartheducation, bio-regional education, expeditionlearning and expansion training, ecologicaleducation, natural awareness, naturalexperience, local-based teaching and education, and the use of environmental materials as learning to integrate the localenvironment.
... All inductions do not necessarily lie in the psychological interaction between teachers and students, or even the interaction between animal teaching and the psychological level of students. The book entitled Children and Nature: Psychological, Sociocultural and Evolutionary Investigations by Kahn and Kellert (2004), the importance of using animals for education is emphasized, especially for animals that are comfortable with the presence/interaction with humans so that children can develop parenting relationships is explained. By observing and interacting with animals and plants in nature, we can develop the connection to nature/ nature connectedness (Cheng and Monroe 2012). ...
Research methods are the sum of knowledge, plans, strategies, tools, steps, and processes. In this chapter, we seek to understand the “research” nature of Environmental Education (EE), define the scope of research through a systematic investigation process by gathering and understanding past facts and discovering new facts through practical investigations, experiments, and verification methods to increase or modify the contemporary know-how in our environment. After exploring the history of EE, entering quantitative research on EE and qualitative research on EE, we use this chapter to improve the level of thinking of EE theory, using the learning methods of Benjamin S. Bloom, Harold R. Hungerford, and the emotionallearning theory of ABC. We aim to understand the value of post-environmental learning, strengthen our transcendental cognition of animate and inanimate objects by looking at these aspects objectively and have a more general and mature view of the biotic and abioticprocesses that shape the world around us.
... All inductions do not necessarily lie in the psychological interaction between teachers and students, or even the interaction between animal teaching and the psychological level of students. The book entitled Children and Nature: Psychological, Sociocultural and Evolutionary Investigations by Kahn and Kellert (2004), the importance of using animals for education is emphasized, especially for animals that are comfortable with the presence/interaction with humans so that children can develop parenting relationships is explained. By observing and interacting with animals and plants in nature, we can develop the connection to nature/ nature connectedness (Cheng and Monroe 2012). ...
Environmental literacy is an abstract concept and a subjective imagination. We see that this chapter discusses environmental educationlearningmotivations, awareness and sensitivity, values and attitudes, mobilization skills, mobilization experience, environmental behavior, and aesthetic literacy in the cultivation of literacy. The above connotations of environmental literacy all need to construct the inherent goodness of human beings. We particularly hope that environmental literacy can be externalized to achieve changes in human-friendly environmental behavior. In other words, if the environmental literacy of the entire population can be strengthened, we can work together to form environmental cohesion, cultivate modern socialcitizens, generate environmental collectiveconsciousness and awareness, and then based on the eternalbelief in naturaldecision-making and environmental protection. This could promote a comfortable space and a clean home for sustainable development. Therefore, from the process that human beings can perceive and understand the environment, we have experienced the awareness of environmental changes. We need to improve environmental literacy to form the transformation of the collectivehumanconsciousnessstructure, so as to be aware of the externalenvironment, that is the learning process. If, literacy is the overall effect of a learning process, then our final collectiveenvironmental consciousness will change from thought to proper behavior. These changes will affect the stage tasks of sustainable development. Then, based on empathy and awareness of all things, we should realize the sense of responsibility and eternal value as human beings, protect nature, and accept the challenges of future environmental changes.
... All inductions do not necessarily lie in the psychological interaction between teachers and students, or even the interaction between animal teaching and the psychological level of students. The book entitled Children and Nature: Psychological, Sociocultural and Evolutionary Investigations by Kahn and Kellert (2004), the importance of using animals for education is emphasized, especially for animals that are comfortable with the presence/interaction with humans so that children can develop parenting relationships is explained. By observing and interacting with animals and plants in nature, we can develop the connection to nature/ nature connectedness (Cheng and Monroe 2012). ...
The framework of environmental ethics is built, challenging the way we view or interpret environmental education through the eyes of different stakeholders. In this chapter we consider aspects of land and ecological ethics as well as pedagogy as they relate to environmental ethics to form modelling. We classify that environmental ethics are “anthropocentrism,” or the human-centeredapproach; “biocentrism,” or the life-centered approach; and “ecocentrism,” or the ecosystem-centered approach. Environmental paradigms are explored, which include the theories and practices regarding to environmental ethics, new environmental, ecological and behavioral paradigms, and paradigm shifts. Regarding to our choices from environmental values and concerns, we may use a model to detect our problem-solving approach to identify environmental problems we face and, find our practical needs and implement solutions toward sustainability.
... All inductions do not necessarily lie in the psychological interaction between teachers and students, or even the interaction between animal teaching and the psychological level of students. The book entitled Children and Nature: Psychological, Sociocultural and Evolutionary Investigations by Kahn and Kellert (2004), the importance of using animals for education is emphasized, especially for animals that are comfortable with the presence/interaction with humans so that children can develop parenting relationships is explained. By observing and interacting with animals and plants in nature, we can develop the connection to nature/ nature connectedness (Cheng and Monroe 2012). ...
Environmental learning is an act of communication. Whether it is self-directed learning, learning through teachers or professors, or learning through an online platform, all need a learningmedium and content. Therefore, environmental learning and communication in this chapter refer to how individuals, institutions, socialgroups, and cultural communities produce, share, accept, understand, and properly use the environmental information, and then utilize the relationship between humansociety and the environment through using environmental communication. In the interaction of the social network of humansociety, from interpersonal communication to virtual communities, modern humans need to participate in environmental decision-making to understand the problems that occur in the world’s environment through environmental media reports. Therefore, this chapter could be focused on “learning as process” and, see how to learn from theorized fields of studies. We may encourage that you may learn from spoken, written, audio-visual, image, and information exchanges through carriers such as learningfields, learning plans, learning mode, information transmission, and communication media. It is hoped that environmental learning and communication, through creation, adopt diverse communication methods and platforms to establish the correct environmental information pipeline.
... All inductions do not necessarily lie in the psychological interaction between teachers and students, or even the interaction between animal teaching and the psychological level of students. The book entitled Children and Nature: Psychological, Sociocultural and Evolutionary Investigations by Kahn and Kellert (2004), the importance of using animals for education is emphasized, especially for animals that are comfortable with the presence/interaction with humans so that children can develop parenting relationships is explained. By observing and interacting with animals and plants in nature, we can develop the connection to nature/ nature connectedness (Cheng and Monroe 2012). ...
We explore environmental cognition, personality traits, social norms, environmental stress, and the healing environment. Cognition is the learning process of identifying the light, sound, smell, and feel of the space around us and then forming concepts of what we sense and then create visual images in our minds of what we are perceiving. This then allows us to respond appropriately to stimuli and what we believe to be true. Therefore, we review the cognitive theory of environmental learning and then move to an exploration of the social theory associated with environmental learning and our understanding of nature. The use of different epistemological methods gradually unlocks the influencing factors of environmental behaviors, such as personality traits and social norms with the objective of explaining socialbehavior. Finally, by understanding environmental stress, it becomes apparent that humanity needs redemption and healing through the power of nature, including nourishment of phytoncide, vitamin D, and the exposure to of outdoorenvironments such as forests and oceans to reduce stress. This then helps restore our physical and mental health and strengthens our thinking and decision-making processes.
... Frequently, children are taught didactic units in which topics appear, for example, about animals from distant environments, since these are the ones that appear in school textbooks, but which do not correspond to the reality of the environment in which they live. In this way, the richness of their natural surroundings is often not transmitted and the opportunity for direct and spontaneous contact with nature is an experience that fades from childhood (Chawla, 1999;Kellert, 2002;Kuo, 2003;Pyle, 2002;Rivkin, 1990;Wilson, 1996). We believe that if we really intend to channel education towards sustainability, it is essential to know the students' environmental perceptions. ...
Sometimes, contact with the natural environment is not commonly present at school. Often, students are involved in activities considering distant environments which do not correspond to the reality of the environment in which they live. The aim of this research is to find out whether kindergarten aged children who live in the Natural Park of the Albufera in Valencia (Spain), have a feeling of belonging and perceive this characteristic natural space as part of their environment. An activity was proposed to the students in which they had to draw nearby places of their liking. From the analysis of these artworks, six thematic categories were established, two of them corresponding to a perception of the natural environment. Other subcategories also emerged during the analysis process. The results obtained seem to indicate that children from the areas located in the Natural Park of the Albufera in Valencia, have difficulties in perceiving this natural space as an important part of their environment, despite the fact it is so closely linked to their lives.
... Nature deprivation strongly associates with negative physical and emotional health (Chawla, 2015;Kahn & Kellert, 2002;Thompson, Aspinall, & Montarzino, 2008) just as nature exposure supports positive health gains (Dean et al., 2018;Pretty, 2004;Pretty, Peacock, Sellens, & Griffin, 2005;Thomsen, Powell, & Monz, 2018). Lack of nature contact is considered detrimental to emotional and psychological development, appearing to limit full cognitive and emotional development in children (Thompson et al., 2019;Ziljema et al., 2017). ...
This article presents an integrated theoretical framework to study the socioenvironmental attributes of the nature experience as a basic health behavior. After first reviewing existing literature on theories behind nature exposure, we discuss social cognitive theory (SCT) to explain individual nature experience through the model's triadic dynamic of environment, cognitions, and behaviors. We then expand beyond SCT's focus on the individual to examine structural and societal spheres of influence on nature experience found in ecological systems theory and ecosocial theory. In moving from proximal to distal influences, we identify the core constructs of each theory that may reinforce or deter decisions inclining individuals toward nature engagement. In synthesizing aspects of these three theories, we propose an integrated theoretical framework of nature experience distinguished by three ideas. First, individual-level formative influences in nature pervade higher level ecologies as a learned social behavior. Second, nature experience happens within multiple systems and timepoints. Third, social relationships within historical processes shape contextual factors of the nature experience, resulting in disparities in nature access and nature responses that manifest heterogeneously. Theorizing behind nature experience can inform why this occurs. We offer suggestions for further research to build on the groundwork put forth here: for hypothesizing around present observations, for collecting data to confirm and/or refute parts of the theory, and for further hypothesis generation inspired by the theory to inform the research agenda. In conclusion, we consider the practical implications of theory underlying nature experience as a health behavior relevant to research, interventions, and policy.
... In societies that experience soaring disconnection from nature (Berry, 1999), understanding its value becomes even more relevant. Children with limited to no access to the outdoors tend to underestimate the value of nature and biodiversity conservation, as they do not interact with it anymore (Kahn & Kellert, 2002;Louv, 2005;McLean, 2009). This detachment -also called "nature deficit disorder" (Louv, 2005) -is problematic because the natural world offers opportunities for critical thinking and inquiry, problem-solving, and reflection (Rieckenberg, 2014). ...
Sustainability emerged as a way to address global challenges “without leaving anyone behind”. Nevertheless, sustainability is hard to implement. At the individual level, education can help, as recognised at the international level. This paper looks at sustainability for education, and vice versa to decipher why the two benefit from each other. Education fosters literacy, forming the citizens of tomorrow: it can thus support sustainability, promoting a positive understanding of nature among students. Thanks to its interdisciplinary nature, sustainability can foster collaboration among different subjects and offer new practices helping education to prepare students for a complex future. This interplay can exist without intervening in the national curricula, by focussing on student-centred pedagogies, and the role of teachers. Three projects show how, through learning scenarios, massive online open courses and competitions, teachers can support sustainability education. Hence, this paper shows that the integration of sustainability in education is recommendable and achievable.
... Given that strong relationships with nature can support proenvironmental behavior and well-being, understanding the antecedents and pathways to nature connectedness may offer benefits for both the environment and people. Strong relationships with nature are rooted in childhood nature experiences (Kahn & Kellert, 2002). However, the time spent in nature during both childhood and adulthood is assumed to strengthen nature connectedness (Cleary et al., 2018;Lin et al., 2014;Pensini et al., 2016;Rosa et al., 2018). ...
Nature connectedness is recognized for its potential to promote pro-environmental behavior and well-being. While urban green spaces are the main form of direct contact with nature for many people, it is largely unclear which types of natural settings and qualities in urban areas most effectively strengthen human relationships with nature. Wilderness is increasingly acknowledged as contributing to higher biodiversity in urban areas and has long received attention from the arts and sciences for its range of well-being benefits. The present study investigates the effects of walking in two different natural settings on people's nature connectedness and well-being. Eighty-four participants were randomly assigned to a walk in an urban forest or a landscape park, which represent different degrees of human impact on the landscape. Both settings increased positive affect, decreased negative affect, and restored attention capacity. Against our expectation, participants walking in the urban forest did not show higher levels of nature connectedness or well-being compared to those in the landscape park. Furthermore, the urban forest was not perceived as wilder than the landscape park. The degree to which people perceived the environments as wild was positively associated with nature connectedness. The findings further suggest that perceived wildness may increase positive affect through nature connectedness. The experience of connection with nature may be an important mechanism by which nature exposure enhances well-being. We conclude that individual perceptions of nature can influence the degree to which well-being benefits are gained in urban green spaces.
Connection with nature, urban green spaces, well-being, attention restoration, wildness, biodiversity.
... Given these results, educators, environmental managers, and policy makers should look for ways of promoting biospheric values to encourage the sustainable management and consumption of ecological commons. Scholars have found that nature connectedness and an ecological identity, both of which share strong positive relations with biospheric values, can be heightened through participation in environmental education programs and a greater frequency of nature contact (Bruni, Fraser, & Schultz, 2008;Kahn & Kellert, 2002;Liefländer, Frö hlich, Bogner, & Schultz, 2013;Schultz & Tabanico, 2007). Perhaps then biospheric values could be promoted and sustained through similar means. ...
In ecological commons dilemma research, environmental values tend to be treated as a monolith. However, environmental values vary and they do not equally predict proenvironmental behavior. In this study, we investigated the impact of three kinds of proenvironmental values (egoistic, altruistic, and biospheric) on competitive and cooperative behavior in a hypothetical ecological commons dilemma scenario. Two hundred Canadian undergraduate students completed an online survey assessing proenvironmental value orientation and commons dilemma decision-making tendencies. In line with our hypothesis, controlling for demographic characteristics (e.g., gender) and key facets of social desirability (e.g., impression management), egoistic, altruistic, and biospheric values positively predicted competition, altruistic cooperation, and ecological cooperation, respectively, within the commons dilemma. Results show that to promote the sustainable consumption of shared ecological resources, it is prudent for educators, environmental managers, and policy makers to encourage the expression of biospheric values.
... Both Meyer (1997) and Nolen (2003) have noted that attachment to nature can be developed through education designed specifically to shape naturalist intelligence. The cognitive characteristics of pre-schoolers are predominantly grounded in their perceptual-motor experiences (Piaget, 1970), and subsequent research confirms that environmental education with adequate sensory supports can help children learn better (Boss, 1999;Bredekamp & Copple, 1997;Kahn, 1997;Kahn & Kellert, 2002;White & Stoecklin, 2008). An example is using, reducing, and rebuilding new stores of sticks or shells in creative play and observing nature while collecting materials from one's natural surroundings (Beery & Jørgensen, 2016). ...
... Offering various activities and facilities in parks is a minimum requirement for planning children's physical environment [39]. Urban designers and planners are recommended to shift their thinking away from manicured park lawns and high-quality manufactured play equipment toward restructuring the local natural environment for children where children can come to contact with small animals like insects and local plants [63,64]. ...
In the digital age, time spent outdoor in green areas is significantly decreasing for children living in cities. With the advent of digital technology, a series of digital tools are gradually integrated into children’s lives and act as a double-edged sword: on the one hand, an increasing number of children tend to stay at home and play digital games instead of interacting with nature; on the other hand, new digital technology is increasingly being used to engage children with outdoor activities. A host of studies have investigated children’s behaviour in the natural environment. However, a systematic literature review of children’s interaction with the urban green infrastructure (UGI) and the respective role of digital environment, based on a theoretical framework that explicitly takes the multi-level determinants and individual-level mechanism of behaviour change into account does not exist yet. This work provides a conceptual framework that covers various determinants, such as motivation, capability, and opportunity related factors of children’s behaviour in terms of their UGI interaction at the city and neighbourhood levels, while taking into account the individual-level mechanism of behavioural change and the role of the digital environment. The framework is used to systematically review recent international empirical evidence on the determinants of children–UGI interaction. The results are useful for laying the theoretical foundation for future empirical research on children–UGI interaction, specifically in the presence of digital interventions. They also provide urban/digital intervention designers and policymakers with theory-based design and policy guidelines for the creation of child-friendly UGI.
... In cities around the wold, interest in urban greening and gardening activities on unused or neglected pockets of land is growing (Säumel et al. 2016, O'Sullivan et al. 2017, Rupprecht and Byrne 2014a. This trend has complex roots, including the growing recognition of the human physical and mental health benefits arising from interacting with nature (e.g. Ward Thompson et al. 2012, Ulrich 1981, Fuller et al. 2007, Kahn and Kellert 2002, combined with growing urban population density which is reducing the opportunity for private gardening space (e.g. Hall 2010 in Australia) (see Figure 4). ...
... As demonstrated, there is a strong body of literature supporting the notion that the concepts of wellbeing and connection to nature are strongly interrelated Cervinka et al., 2012;Hinds & Sparks, 2008;Kellert, 2002). However, educationalists have played a less distinct role in the field of wellbeing and as a result, the impact of educational experiences and environments on wellbeing is less prominent in research and literature (Petegem et al., 2007). ...
This thesis explores the role that curriculum-based environmental education plays in influencing young peoples' wellbeing. It adopts a social constructivist approach to understand how wellbeing is understood, articulated and experienced by young people in residential learning environments. The thesis argues that positivistic and adult-centred accounts of wellbeing have restricted our appreciation of the diverse ways in which young people engage with and recognise their emotions in educational settings. In adopting an alternative framework, the thesis argues for experiential and subjective understandings of wellbeing to be developed through a range of methodological tools. The research sought to develop these ideas by focusing on the experiences of students visiting the Field Studies Centre at Slapton Ley (Devon, UK) and utilised focus groups and solicited participant diaries, providing a basis for phenomenological inquiry that enabled a direct engagement with young people participating in environmental education programmes. The empirical research focused on the experiences of young people between the ages of 14 and 18 years on a residential, curriculum-based environmental education programme and examined the role and potential of environmental education for supporting the wellbeing of young people. From an initial thematic analysis of the data five elements were identified as key to the participants' wellbeing: wellbeing as multidimensional, social elements, psychological elements, physical health and environmental elements. These elements were then used to provide a framing for understanding young peoples' experiences of wellbeing throughout the lived experience of curriculum-based environmental education and, as a result, the research yielded three themes that provide an understanding of the key experiences of environmental education and its connection to wellbeing: experiences of place, experiences of people, and the learning experience. Using these themes and the participants' conceptualisations of wellbeing, the research then iii explored how strategies can be developed within environmental education to promote the wellbeing of young people and reveals the importance of fostering feelings of restoration, increasing social bonds and developing a sense of achievement and accomplishment. Consequently, this research contributes to the fields of environmental education and health and wellbeing research within a geographical context through demonstrating the importance of qualitative approaches in revealing the ways young people articulate their emotions in educational settings. Alongside this, it challenges assumptions about the way nature is utilised in wellbeing interventions, highlighting the role that social and cultural backgrounds can play in the way nature is experienced by different groups and how this can be addressed within environmental education. Therefore, a key contribution of this research is in providing an empirical analysis for the relationship between environmental education and wellbeing, and how to best design environmental education programmes that meet the needs of young people.
... According to Mackay and Schmitt (2009), nature connection "refers to a subjective sense of "oneness" with nature that arises from incorporating nature into one's self-definition". The theoretical basis of the connection to nature concept can be traced from the biophilia hypothesis (Wilson 1984;Kahn and Kellert 2002), ecopsychology, and the psychology of interpersonal relationships (Whitburn et al. 2020). While related concepts such as sense of place (Eaton et al. 2019), "extinction of experience" (Pyle 1993;Soga and Gaston 2016), and "nature deficit disorder" (Louv 2005) have been developed in other fields, the connection to nature concept has been extensively conceptualized and operationalised within psychology (Restall and Conrad 2015;Ives et al. 2017). ...
Reconnecting to nature is imperative for the sustainability of humans on Earth, offering a leverage point for system change. Connections to nature have been conceptualized as a typology of five types as follows: material; experiential; cognitive; emotional; and, philosophical, ranging from relatively shallow to deeper connections, respectively. Educational programs that immerse individuals in nature have been designed to build an appreciation for places travelled, awareness of environmental issues and to promote pro-environmental behaviours. Using quantitative and qualitative data from 295 individuals who participated in National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) programs ranging from 14 to 90 days, we tested hypotheses to understand whether and to what extent NOLS influenced the five types of connections to nature. We further investigated whether deeper connection types were associated with greater intentions for pro-environmental behaviours. Findings showed that individuals generally reported greater connections to nature after the NOLS program, with emotional and material connections increasing the most. While intentions for pro-environmental behaviour increased from pre- to post-program, deeper connections to nature did not correspond to greater intention for pro-environmental behaviour. The strongest predictor of intention for pro-environmental behaviour was a cognitive connection, though an emotional connection was also a significant predictor. Ultimately, we found that the NOLS program fosters multiple connections to nature and increases intentions for pro-environmental behaviour. We call for more research to understand the relationships among connection to nature types and how those interactions may influence intentions for pro-environmental behaviour—in nature-based educational programs and in other contexts.
... To understand differential patterns in restorative potential and preservation motivation across changing soundscapes, we centered on a key moderator: lived experience. Memories of prior encounters with nature may be important for both increasing people's wellbeing (Ratcliffe and Korpela, 2016) and stimulating pro-environmental behavior (Evans et al., 2018), with a reduction in nature-based experiences expected to have negative impacts on each of these outcomes (Kahn Jr and Kellert, 2002). Research has suggested the importance of lived experience in soundscape appraisals (Medvedev et al., 2015;Yang and Kang, 2005) and we sought to detect and quantify this moderating effect. ...
Extensive ecosystem degradation and increasing urbanization are altering human relationships with nature. To explore these trends, we created a transdisciplinary, narrative-led podcast series produced by the BBC, called Forest 404. The series explored the implications of a world without nature. An online experimental component mobilized audience participation (n = 7,596) to assess responses to natural soundscapes with and without abiotic, biotic, and poetic elements across five biomes. Conditions featuring the sounds of wildlife, such as bird song, were perceived to be more psychologically restorative than those without. Participants’ personal lived experiences were strongly related to these outcomes; those who had memories triggered by the sounds were more likely to find them psychologically restorative and exhibited a greater motivation to preserve them. Moreover, the effects of both soundscape composition and memories on preservation behavior were partially mediated by restorative potential; respondents were more likely to want to protect the sounds they heard if they thought they might offer therapeutic outcomes. Our findings highlight the value of art-science collaborations and demonstrate how maintaining contact with the natural world can promote wellbeing and foster behaviors that protect planetary health.
... Contact with nature can increase relaxation, reduce factors associated with poor mental health, such as cognitive and physical fatigue and stress (Kaplan;Korpela, 2002;Ulrich et al., 1991), and promote the development of skills associated with good mental health. For example, regular access to nature has been shown to increase children's self-esteem and self-awareness, promote resilience and improve concentration (Kahn & Kellert, 2002;Wells & Evans, 2003). These findings are supported by the views of children, who indicate that contact with nature helps to relieve stress, improve their focus and provide them with opportunities to build their confidence and develop friendships (Chawla, 2015). ...
My thesis examines the role of children’s play and mental health in adverse circumstances. In the review paper, I report the first meta- analysis of the effectiveness of therapeutic play to reduce anxiety prior to a medical procedure in 9 randomised control trials. Pre-operative play was associated with a large effect size (SMD = -0.97, 95% CI = -1.52 to -0.41) when compared to all
controls but subgroup analyses showed that pre-operative play was no more effective than an active control (SMD = -0.35, 95% CI = -1.42 to 0.73). In my empirical paper, I examined the relationships between play, physical activity and contact with nature and pre-schoolers mental health. I conducted a longitudinal study of these factors in 1028 UK pre-schoolers during the first 4 months of the COVID-19 pandemic. I used mixed linear modelling and found that playing with
other children, physical activity and contact with nature were negatively associated with emotional symptom severity but time spent playing alone was positively associated with emotional symptom severity. Both my thesis studies have implications for clinical practice; although further research is warranted, play can contribute positively to children’s mental health in adverse circumstances.
La naturaleza contribuye a la calidad de vida de las personas mediante una gran var-iedad de formas, constituyendo, al fin y al cabo, la verdadera base del bienestar y de la subsistencia humana. Sin embargo, la globalización capitalista bajo la cual vivimos está favoreciendo el avance de unos estilos de vida cada vez más acelerados y con-taminantes que están afectando gravemente a la estructura y funcionamiento de los ecosistemas de nuestro planeta. Este hecho, como han alertado numerosos tra-bajos científicos recientemente, podría estar empujándonos hacia un punto crítico de no retorno que, se seguir así, podría desembocar durante las próximas décadas en diversos colapsos ecológico-sociales que podrían acabar por comprometer tanto la integridad ecológica de nuestro planeta como el bienestar y la supervivencia de gran parte de la humanidad. Bajo el actual contexto de crisis socio-ecológica en el que vivimos, y en un momento histórico en el que la mayor parte de las decisiones políticas están fuertemente subordinadas al crecimiento de la esfera económica, se hace más necesario que nunca repensar la educación del nuevo milenio para fomen-tar una nueva concepción de desarrollo humano que sea socialmente justa y ecológi-camente sostenible. Y este enorme desafío comienza por comprender que nuestro bienestar y nuestra supervivencia dependen plenamente de los múltiples beneficios que los ecosistemas (cuando están sanos) son capaces de proporcionarnos.
Atsižvelgiant į tradicinių mokymo(si) aplinkų neatitikimą šiuolaikiniams ugdymo tikslams ir mokyklų tinklo optimizavimo Lietuvoje keliamus mokyklų pastatų daugiafunkciškumo iššūkius, straipsnyje analizuojamos biofilinio dizaino principų taikymo šiuolaikinių mokyklų projektavimui galimybės, siekiant išskirti kriterijus, gaires, kurie galėtų būti taikomi biofilinės mokyklos kūrimui. Darbe taikyti metodai apima literatūros analizę ir pavyzdžių analizę bei vertinimą ir biofilinės mokyklos projektavimo teorinio modelio formulavimą. Tyrimas leido išskirti biofilinės mokyklos projektavimui svarbius veiksnius, apimančius natūralų apšvietimą, natūralias gamtinei aplinkai būdingas spalvas su ryškių kontrastingų spalvų intarpais, organiškas kreivalinijines formas, gamtinius elementus ir motyvus, natūralias, vietines medžiagas, ryšį su ekosistemomis, augalais, gyvūnais, aiškių, lengvai suvokiamų erdvių planavimą, lauko klases, daržus, sodus, vandens motyvą.
Green space is associated with better cognition, while the animal-based dietary pattern can be a risk factor. We aimed to verify the associations and explore their interaction among the elderly. The China Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS) cohort including 17,827 participants was used. The average green space coverage rate was used to measure green space exposure. The animal-based diet index (ADI) was scored based on the non-quantitative frequency questionnaire of ten types of food intake (three types of animal foods and seven types of plant foods). We used the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) to assess cognitive function. The Cox proportional hazard regression was applied to explore the correlations and interactions. In the models, we gradually adjusted for the potential risk factors. Compared with participants living in the area with the lowest green space, those living with the highest were associated with a 20% decrease in the risk of cognitive impairment (hazard ratio (HR): 0.80, 95% CI: 0.73, 0.89). As for ADI, the highest group was related to a 64% increase in the risk of cognitive impairment (HR: 1.64, 95% CI: 1.38, 1.95). The protective effect of the highest green space group on cognitive impairment was more evident among participants with low ADI (HR = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.62, 0.83), compared to those with high ADI. Green space was positively associated with cognition, while the animal-based dietary pattern was a cognitive disadvantage. The animal-based dietary pattern may mitigate the beneficial effects of green space on cognition.
Cet article aborde les différentes adaptations de l’école en forêt dans le monde. Nous analysons essentiellement les recherches qui ciblent les enfants et les écoles. Nous présentons d’abord les différentes approches sous-jacentes à l’éducation dans la nature ainsi que les principes de base qu’on y retrouve. Par la suite, nous explorons les bienfaits sur les plans physique, cognitif, émotionnel ainsi que sur celui de la santé mentale associés à l’éducation en forêt. Enfin, nous exposons la présence de certaines limites relatives à la validité empirique dans différentes études, ainsi que quelques ambiguïtés relatives au vocabulaire utilisé.
Do more natural settings improve students’ learning? We collected surveys immediately following 283 U.S.-based environmental education (EE) field trip programs for youth and used land cover data to examine the relationship between levels of naturalness, defined as the percentage of natural land cover of the EE field trip site, and student learning outcomes. We also examined whether differences in levels of naturalness between students’ day-to-day environment and the field trip setting were related to student learning outcomes. When controlling for grade and race, both levels of naturalness and novel levels of naturalness accounted for approximately 4% of the variance in student outcomes suggesting that other field trip characteristics are more influential.
Bu çalışmanın amacı okul öncesi öğretmen adaylarının dendroloji bilgilerini artırmak ayrıca ağaçları eğitim ortamlarında bir içerik ve materyal olarak kullanmalarını sağlamaktır. Çalışmada temel nitel araştırma deseni benimsenmiştir. Çalışmanın verilerini 2020-2021 Bahar eğitim öğretim döneminde Okul Öncesi Öğretmenliğinde eğitim gören ve “Erken Çocukluk Döneminde Çevre Eğitimi” alan 75 öğretmen adayının hazırlamış olduğu ödevler oluşturmaktadır. Katılımcılardan Covid-19 Pandemisi nedeniyle uzaktan eğitim ile devam ettikleri derste ödev olarak bir ağacı seçmeleri, seçtikleri ağacın özelliklerini tanıtmaları, ağaç ile ilgili kendi deneyimlerini paylaşmaları ve seçtikleri ağacı okul öncesi dönemdeki çocuklar için bir eğitim içeriği olarak kullanmaları istenmiştir. Toplanan veriler içerik analizi yöntemi ile analiz edilmiştir. Çalışmanın bulguları, çocukluk döneminde doğada kazanılan deneyimlerin ileriki yaşlarda ortaya çıkan etkilerine işaret etmektedir. Katılımcıların ağaçları seçmelerindeki en önemli etken çocukluklarında seçtikleri ağaçla olan olumlu deneyimleridir. Katılımcılar ağaçlarla ilgili alan gezisi, sanat çalışmaları, oyun, yiyecek hazırlama ve fidan dikme gibi etkinlikler hazırlamışlardır.
Urban green and blue spaces (UGBS) have the potential to make a significant contribution to the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Research shows the need for UGBS to mitigate the adverse environmental impacts of urbanisation and provide equitable access to resources that reduce social and health inequalities. However, no previous review has attempted to consolidate this evidence within the context of the SDGs. The aim of this study was to review the evidence pertaining to the role of UGBS in achieving the SDGs and identify important knowledge gaps.
Using systematic review methods, we developed an evidence gap map of the literature that explores the role of UGBS in the achievement of the SDGs. Five databases (Scopus, MEDLINE, PubMed, EMBASE, and GreenFILE) were searched for studies published since 2015 that investigated at least one outcome that corresponded to the SDGs. Following screening, study characteristics were extracted, and the data were imported into EPPI‐Mapper to create the interactive evidence gap map. In total 1,872 studies were identified. Following screening, 181 eligible studies were included in the evidence synthesis.
The majority of studies focused on the impact of UGBS on health and wellbeing (SDG3; n=115), pollution, and urban heat island effects (SDG11 and SDG13; n=73 and n=46 respectively). SDGs that were not addressed by the studies included SDG5 (gender equality), SDG9 (industry, innovation and infrastructure), SDG12 (responsible consumptions and production), SDG14 (life below water) and SDG17 (partnership for the goals). In addition, there was a relative lack of studies conducted in LMICs.
Theoretically, UGBS could contribute to 15 of the 17 SDGs. More research is needed to address the evidence gaps towards SDGs 5,9, and 12. Related research in LMICs must also be accelerated. More research is needed that assesses the multifunctional benefits of UGBS and draws explicit links between UGBS and the SDGs.
The use of entomological collections in teaching is a way of awakening curiosity in students in relation to biodiversity and has a strong appeal in environmental education. Most of the time, however, the collections are merely demonstrative and do not involve the students in the search to identify the different organisms and their role in natural systems. Regarding the social perception that the student should develop in relation to insects, didactic materials need to go beyond identification and classification and involve the students in the relationship between the different insect species and eco-systemic services. The aversion that many insects cause in most individuals is, at times, an impediment to the teaching and learning process in Zoology in regard to Entomology. The proposal of activities that involve an approach based on bees, a species within the Insect class whose representation by society frames it as “friendly” species, is a strategy involving an approach in which the student perceives the social role of insects, in addition to learning about morphological characteristics, structural characteristics, and evolution etc. In this chapter, we shall address Entomology teaching strategies and methodologies involving bees, which could be applied to different groups of students at different levels of formal and non-formal environmental education.
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