Article

Engaging with Natural Beauty May Be Related to Well-Being Because It Connects People to Nature: Evidence from Three Cultures

Authors:
To read the full-text of this research, you can request a copy directly from the authors.

Abstract

Connecting with nature has been described by some as an important psychological need. Indeed, research shows that a strong connection to nature predicts flourishing across a wide range of well-being indices. Engaging with natural beauty may be one route by which people satisfy this presumed need to connect with nature. Based on this reasoning, the purpose of the current research was to investigate whether nature connectedness mediates the relationship between engagement with natural beauty (i.e., the tendency to notice and be moved by beauty in nature) and well-being in three different cultures. Four cross-sectional surveys involving Canadian, Japanese, and Russian undergraduate students were conducted (N = 1,390). Engagement with natural beauty and nature connectedness were positively associated with a variety of well-being measures. Moreover, we found relatively consistent support for the indirect effect of nature connectedness in explaining the relationship between engagement with natural beauty and well-being. This finding replicated across five different measures and indices of well-being, two different measures of nature connectedness, and three different cultures. Overall, this research suggests that engaging with natural beauty may have an impact on well-being by promoting a stronger subjective connection with nature.

No full-text available

Request Full-text Paper PDF

To read the full-text of this research,
you can request a copy directly from the authors.

... Interestingly, while technological advances increasingly shape our society, we also recognize the benefits of engaging with beautiful nature (Zhang et al., 2014;Richardson and McEwan, 2018;Diessner, 2019a), art (Diessner et al., 2006(Diessner et al., , 2013Cupchik et al., 2009;Wanzer et al., 2020;Fekete et al., 2022;Diessner and Niemiec, 2023), and morality (Diessner et al., 2006(Diessner et al., , 2013Pohling and Diessner, 2016;Diessner, 2019b). These benefits include individual wellbeing (e.g., Capaldi et al., 2017;Richardson and McEwan, 2018), as well as increases in self-transcendent emotions (Diessner et al., 2008;Keltner and Haidt, 2010;Pohling and Diessner, 2016)-which are positive emotions that tend to foster collective wellbeing by increasing prosocial behavior (Haidt, 2003b). ...
... To begin with, beauty elicits positive emotions such as attraction, captivation, pleasure, joy, humor, energy, and relaxation (Schindler et al., 2017). Beauty increases wellbeing (Martínez-Martí et al., 2014;Capaldi et al., 2017;Richardson and McEwan, 2018) and happiness (Proyer et al., 2016); reduces perceived stress (Henderson et al., 2016;Fekete et al., 2022) and depression (Proyer et al., 2016); and may be related to resilience (Williams et al., 2018). It is also correlated with meaning in life (Capaldi et al., 2017). ...
... Beauty increases wellbeing (Martínez-Martí et al., 2014;Capaldi et al., 2017;Richardson and McEwan, 2018) and happiness (Proyer et al., 2016); reduces perceived stress (Henderson et al., 2016;Fekete et al., 2022) and depression (Proyer et al., 2016); and may be related to resilience (Williams et al., 2018). It is also correlated with meaning in life (Capaldi et al., 2017). Overall, beauty increases multiple outcomes associated with wellbeing. ...
... Importantly, however, some evidence specifically connects the elements of eudaimonia to nature connectedness. Several studies have indicated a positive association between nature connectedness and meaning and purpose (Capaldi et al., 2017;Hinds & Sparks, 2009;Howell et al., 2011;. Additionally, states associated with the experience of authenticity, such as decreased public self-awareness (Lenton et al., 2013) and mindfulness (e.g., Lakey et al., 2008), are similarly associated with nature connectedness (Frantz et al., 2005;Lengieza & Swim, 2021a;Mayer et al., 2009;Howell et al., 2011;Richardson & Sheffield, 2015;Schutte & Malouff, 2018;Unsworth et al., 2016, respectively). ...
... The most convincing evidence comes from a meta-analysis of studies investigating 65+ year-olds, indicating a strong positive correlation between meaning in life and selftranscendence (Haugan et al., 2022), which is closely related to nature connectedness (see Lengieza et al., 2021). Importantly, this effect may not be isolated to older individuals, as a sizeable handful of studies using undergraduate samples have also reported positive correlations between the presence of meaning in life and self-expansiveness (e.g., Beaumont, 2009;Capaldi et al., 2017;Hinds & Sparks, 2009;Howell et al., 2011;. Thus, there is strong correlational support for an association between meaning and expansiveness. ...
Article
Full-text available
Research has identified a relationship between eudaimonic wellbeing and nature connectedness. However, the direction of this relationship has not been fully explored. In three studies, the present research tests the possibility that eudaimonic experiences can cause the self to expand to include nature (i.e., can increase nature connectedness). Each study focused on a different component of eudaimonic experiences: meaning, authenticity, and growth. In Study 1 (n = 395), participants reflected on how a future nature experience would give them a sense of meaning in life (eudaimonic) compared to reflecting on how it would be fun (hedonic) or how it would be planned (mundane). In Study 2 (n = 460), participants in the eudaimonic condition instead reflected on authenticity. In Study 3 (n = 462), eudaimonic reflections focused on growth. Across the three studies—and in a combined analysis using data from all 1,314 participants—reflection on meaning and growth, but not authenticity, resulted in greater nature connectedness than either hedonic reflection or mundane reflection. In the combined analysis, hedonic reflection resulted in greater nature connectedness than mundane reflection; however, this effect appeared weaker than eudaimonia's effect. Thus, this set of studies seems to indicate that eudaimonic experiences can cause the self to expand to include nature and that this is not attributable to the fact that eudaimonic experiences are a form of positive experience.
... Similarly, nature relatedness was associated with more positive and fewer negative emotions in urban park visitors in Colombia (Scopelliti et al., 2016), with greater happiness in Taiwanese citizens (Wang et al., 2020), greater happiness and life satisfaction in Chinese students (Tam, 2013) and adults in India's tri-city (Kumar et al., 2014), and with better mental wellbeing in urban residents in the Philippines (Aruta, 2021). Nature relatedness also positively correlated with emotional, social, and psychological wellbeing in a sample of Japanese students (Capaldi et al., 2017). Similar to research from Western countries (e.g., Lumber et al., 2017), findings in Japan also indicate that experiences with natural beauty and awe influence nature relatedness (Capaldi et al., 2017;Yang et al., 2018). ...
... Nature relatedness also positively correlated with emotional, social, and psychological wellbeing in a sample of Japanese students (Capaldi et al., 2017). Similar to research from Western countries (e.g., Lumber et al., 2017), findings in Japan also indicate that experiences with natural beauty and awe influence nature relatedness (Capaldi et al., 2017;Yang et al., 2018). ...
Article
Full-text available
Nature relatedness refers to individual differences in subjective connectedness with the natural environment. We aimed to cross-culturally validate the Nature Relatedness scale and examine links between nature relatedness and wellbeing. We also tested whether spirituality or self-transcendent emotions such as gratitude mediate the relationship between nature relatedness and wellbeing. University student participants (N = 798) from four countries (Hungary, India, South Korea, and Canada) completed the short-form Nature Relatedness scale (NR-6; Nisbet & Zelenski, 2013), the Inclusion of Nature in Self scale (Schultz, 2002a), and measures of hedonic and eudaimonic wellbeing. Cross-cultural differences were found in a number of nature relatedness principal components, as well as differences in links between nature relatedness, spirituality, and wellbeing. In all four countries, gratitude formed a significant indirect path from nature relatedness to mental health and quality of life. The findings suggest that spiritual aspects of human-nature relationships may contribute to wellbeing across cultures.
... Similarly, nature relatedness was associated with more positive and fewer negative emotions in urban park visitors in Colombia (Scopelliti et al., 2016), with greater happiness in Taiwanese citizens (Wang et al., 2020), greater happiness and life satisfaction in Chinese students (Tam, 2013) and adults in India's tri-city (Kumar et al., 2014), and with better mental wellbeing in urban residents in the Philippines (Aruta, 2021). Nature relatedness also positively correlated with emotional, social, and psychological wellbeing in a sample of Japanese students (Capaldi et al., 2017). Similar to research from Western countries (e.g., Lumber et al., 2017), findings in Japan also indicate that experiences with natural beauty and awe influence nature relatedness (Capaldi et al., 2017;Yang et al., 2018). ...
... Nature relatedness also positively correlated with emotional, social, and psychological wellbeing in a sample of Japanese students (Capaldi et al., 2017). Similar to research from Western countries (e.g., Lumber et al., 2017), findings in Japan also indicate that experiences with natural beauty and awe influence nature relatedness (Capaldi et al., 2017;Yang et al., 2018). ...
Preprint
Full-text available
Nature relatedness refers to individual differences in subjective connectedness with the natural environment. We aimed to cross-culturally validate the Nature Relatedness scale and examine links between nature relatedness and wellbeing. We also tested whether spirituality or self-transcendent emotions such as gratitude mediate the relationship between nature relatedness and wellbeing. University student participants (N = 798) from four countries (Hungary, India, South Korea, and Canada) completed the short-form Nature Relatedness scale (NR-6; Nisbet & Zelenski, 2013), the Inclusion of Nature in Self scale (Schultz, 2002a), and measures of hedonic and eudaimonic wellbeing. Cross-cultural differences were found in a number of nature relatedness principal components, as well as differences in links between nature relatedness, spirituality, and wellbeing. In all four countries, gratitude formed a significant indirect path from nature relatedness to mental health and quality of life. The findings suggest that spiritual aspects of human-nature relationships may contribute to wellbeing across cultures.
... Studies have reported positive associations between exposure to nearby nature and emotional well-being during the COVID-19 crisis (Corley et al., 2021;Mintza et al., 2021;Soga et al., 2020), and the current findings further our understanding of this relationship by showing how the lockdowns influenced evaluations of outdoor scenes compared to the prelockdown period. This understanding is also important in relation to the knowledge that enhanced appreciation of outdoor (especially natural) environments is associated not only with enhanced levels of well-being (Capaldi et al., 2017;Zhang et al., 2014) but also with more pro-environmental behaviours (Alcock et al., 2020) and increased connection to nature (Harrison & Clark, 2020). The findings are also relevant to the design of open and relaxing natural spaces in urban environments, which appeared to be enjoyed more when traffic and crowding were significantly reduced. ...
... Estudios anteriores han encontrado asociaciones positivas entre la exposición a espacios naturales cercanos y bienestar emocional durante la crisis COVID-19 (Corley et al., 2021;Mintza et al., 2021;Soga et al., 2020), y los resultados actuales mejoran nuestra comprensión de esta relación, mostrando la forma en la que los confinamientos influyeron sobre las evaluaciones de escenas al aire libre en comparación con el período previo al confinamiento. Esta comprensión es importante también respecto al conocimiento de que un mayor aprecio de entornos al aire libre (especialmente naturales) se asocia no solo con niveles más altos de bienestar (Capaldi et al., 2017;Zhang et al., 2014), sino con más comportamientos proambientales (Alcock et al., 2020) y un aumento en la conexión con la naturaleza (Harrison & Clark, 2020). Los resultados también son relevantes para el diseño de espacios naturales abiertos y relajantes en entornos urbanos, que parecen ofrecer mayor disfrute cuando se produce una reducción significativa del tráfico y el hacinamiento. ...
Article
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent UK lockdowns restricted mobility, altered access to the outdoors and led to changes in the environment (e.g., reduced traffic, pollution and crowding). This is likely to have altered the way people evaluated outdoor environments. Here we investigated aesthetic and emotional responses (liking, openness, relaxation) to paintings and photographs depicting landscapes and urban scenes in three UK cohorts: pre-lockdown, spring 2020 lockdown, and winter 2021 lockdown. Participants (N = 334) reported higher levels of liking, openness and relaxation for landscapes and urban scenes during the two lockdown periods compared to pre-lockdown levels. Importantly, evaluations in the lockdown groups were influenced by the types of places visited most frequently. These findings aid our understanding of the psychological effects of lockdowns on evaluations of outdoor environments and are relevant to the development of policies for the promotion of well-being, including the design of more open and relaxing urban spaces.
... Affective states have an impact on individuals' sense of connectedness. A meta-analysis suggests that, on the whole, positive affect as well as wellbeing are positively correlated with connectedness (Capaldi et al., 2014) and research has consistently concluded that positive affect promotes connectedness (e.g., Mayer et al., 2009, S1-3;Howell et al., 2011, S2;Nisbet et al., , 2019Nisbet and Zelenski, 2011, S1-2;Capaldi et al., 2014Capaldi et al., , 2017Dopko et al., 2014Dopko et al., , 2019Crawford et al., 2017). In fact, increased positive affect may be one of the psychological mechanisms through which contact with nature increases connectedness , although not all studies find significant relationships between affect and connectedness (e.g., Schultz and Tabanico, 2007, S5;Howell et al., 2011, S1;Vess et al., 2012). ...
... Research also suggest that it is useful to delineate different types of positive affect; specific forms of positive affect, such as awe (Yang et al., 2018;Nisbet et al., 2019) or similar types of emotions such as elevating experiences (Capaldi et al., 2017, S1; have been positively associated with connectedness. Moreover, meaning and purpose, a form of eudemonic affect, is positively correlated with connectedness (Hinds and Sparks, 2009;Howell et al., 2011, S1-2;Nisbet et al., 2011, S1 and S3;Capaldi et al., 2017, S1) as are other forms of more general wellbeing (Capaldi et al., 2014(Capaldi et al., , 2017Richardson et al., 2016;Nisbet et al., 2019) whereas hedonic affect was no longer associated with connectedness after controlling for eudaimonic affect . ...
Article
Full-text available
Although many philosophers and environmental psychologists agree that progress toward a more ecologically conscious society depends upon individuals developing a sense of connectedness to nature, such agreement is of limited use if we do not understand how connectedness forms. The purpose of this review is to delineate the state of the psychological literature concerning the antecedents of connectedness to nature. The literature review is organized into three main sections: (1) situational contexts that influence connectedness; (2) individual difference predictors, such as demographic group membership, personality, or beliefs; and (3) internal psychological states that may explain psychological processes that result in connectedness. Major critiques of the extant literature and future directions are presented in a discussion following the body of the review. The primary implications highlighted by the review are a greater need for theories delineating the formation of connectedness, a greater focus on process, and increased differentiation between similar antecedents of connectedness.
... Research does suggest that feeling connected to nature strengthens the relationship between nature exposure and wellbeing [28,29]. The research described above on beach litter [14] examined the impact of connectedness to nature (C2N) on responses to polluted beaches. ...
... In addition, it found that the effect of experimental condition was stronger for those who had a strong environmental identity, meaning that the natural environment was more self-relevant to them. This is consistent with previous research showing that impacts of exposure to natural environments are stronger for those who feel connected to nature [14,28,29]. As in Study 1, there was no evidence of a eudaimonic effect. ...
Article
Full-text available
Research indicates that beautiful nature can have positive impacts. Does polluted nature have a corresponding negative impact? This paper presents two experiments investigating the impact of viewing images of natural settings, on a college campus, that do or do not contain litter. The moderating role of environmental identity was also examined. Study 1 showed that landscapes with litter evoked more negative emotions among a sample of 332 U.S. residents on MTurk than did landscapes without litter. Surprisingly, natural landscapes did not have a more positive effect than images of buildings. In Study 2, using an MTurk sample of 310 U.S. residents, results were similar to Study 1 but were qualified by an interaction between condition and EID: those high in EID were more strongly affected by the images. These results suggest that viewing polluted landscapes can have a negative effect on emotions (hedonic wellbeing), and that these effects are stronger among those who have a stronger relationship with nature. There was no evidence for an impact on eudaimonic wellbeing as represented by a sense of meaning, efficacy, or ethicality. Given the continuing degradation of our natural environment, further research on the impacts of polluted landscapes is needed.
... For example, awe-largely considered the self-transcendent emotion (Haidt, 2006;Shiota et al., 2017) and often associated with pro-social outcomes (e.g., Stellar et al., 2017;Piff et al., 2015) and pro-environmental behaviours (e.g., Yan, Liao, Dale, Arpan, & Raney, 2024;Yang, Hu, Jing, & Nguyen, 2018)-is especially correlated with nature connectedness (Nisbet et al., 2019) which has been conceptualized as a form of self-transcendence (Lengieza, 2024;Lengieza et al., 2021;Lengieza & Swim, 2021b). Other self-transcendent emotions and affective states such as love and compassion (Jacobs & McConnell, 2022) and elevating experiences (Capaldi et al., 2017) are likewise strong predictors of nature connectedness relative to other self-interested positive emotions such as amusement (Jacobs & McConnell, 2022). Further, eudaimonic affect (e.g., introspection and inspiration) is more associated with feeling connected to nature and humanity than hedonic affect (e.g., excitement and amusement; Lengieza et al., 2021) and eudaimonic reflection (e.g., reflecting on meaning and purpose or on growth) has a stronger and more consistent positive influence on nature connectedness than does hedonic reflection (e.g., reflecting on fun; Lengieza, 2024). ...
Article
Full-text available
Many of the psychological phenomena that are relevant to the environmental crises facing the globe are determined by a complex set of interrelated constructs—that is, they are determined by a network of factors. In recognizing that these factors form a network and do not work in isolation, the need for research that captures the holistic interrelations between variables becomes obvious. As a way of exploring the value of such an approach for other areas of environmental psychology, we tested the utility of treating nature-connectedness experiences as a network using principles adapted from social network analysis. In Study 1, we look at the affective situation network concerning nature-connectedness experiences. In Study 2, we draw upon the pathways to nature framework to investigate the activity situation network for nature connectedness experiences. In Study 1, we find that awe, inspiration, and love are all important and central to nature-connectedness experiences. In Study 2, we find that meaningful (e.g., meaning-making) and deliberate engagement (e.g., noticing) are important and central to nature-connectedness experiences. More importantly, the results from this pair of studies indicate that using this network approach is a useful exploratory tool that is both generative and flexible and can yield important insights that can catalyse novel lines of confirmatory research. Thus, we suggest that research in other areas of environmental psychology consider this approach.
... 28 By ensuring variations in culture and contexts, we will be able to assess if youth's connectedness with nature varies under diverse conditions. 29 Nature connectedness scholarship is needed across various cultures to understand possible differences in how multiple populations understand the concept. 23 Recruiting of participants Participants will be eligible when they are aged 15-24 as per the United Nation's definition of youth. ...
Article
Full-text available
Introduction Urban youth are experiencing increasing mental health problems due to diverse personal, social and environmental concerns. Youths’ detachment from natural environments, including green and blue spaces, may intensify such issues further. Contact with nature can benefit mental health and promote pro-environmental behaviour (PEB). Yet, only a few studies assess these relationships among the youth usually ignoring effects of living in diverse urban contexts, and everyday nature experiences. ECO-MIND will investigate whether urban youth’s dynamic greenspace exposure and their mental models about nature connectedness explain the associations between greenspace exposure, mental health and PEB in multiple urban contexts. Methods and analysis We will collect data from university students from the Global South (ie, Dhaka, Kampala) and Global North cities (ie, Utrecht). Participants aged 18–24 will be recruited through stratified random sampling. We will use geographic ecological momentary assessment to assess respondents’ everyday experiences and exposure to greenspaces. Our definition of greenspace exposure will be based on the availability, accessibility and visibility of greenspaces extracted from satellite and street view images. We will administer a baseline questionnaire to participants about mental health, nature connectedness and PEB characteristics. Further, we will ask participants to build mental models to show their perception of nature connectedness. Finally, we will fit partial least square structural equation models and multi-level models to our longitudinal geographic momentary assessment data. Ethics and dissemination The study was approved by the Ethical Review Board of the Utrecht University (Geo S-23221). Informed consent must be given freely, without coercion and based on a clear understanding of the participation in the study. Findings will be disseminated in peer-reviewed journals and at conferences. Furthermore, we will implement public engagement activities (eg, panel discussion) to share results among local stakeholders and policymakers and cocreate policy briefs.
... Correlational studies show that spending time in nature predicts greater well-being (Capaldi et al., 2017;Cervinka et al., 2012;Howell et al., 2011Howell et al., , 2013 and experimental methods have also been employed to test whether spending time in nature actually exerts a causal influence on well-being. A recent review of these experiments (Folk & Dunn, 2023) suggests that, while there is a lack of well-powered preregistered studies, there is some evidence for a causal link between time in nature and well-being (Izenstark et al., 2021;McEwan et al., 2019;Passmore & Holder, 2017;Tyrväinen et al., 2014;Vert et al., 2020). ...
Preprint
People across time and cultures have often conceived of humanity’s connection to the natural world as essentially spiritual. This article presents the results of a high-powered preregistered ecospirituality intervention on a sample of Canadian university students (N=779), in which participants either photographed the spiritual qualities of nature, the instrumental qualities of nature, or the spiritual qualities of architecture. Results showed that the intervention was inconclusive, as participants in all three conditions reported similar increases in ecospirituality, environmental concern, and well-being. Exploratory results suggest that increases in ecospirituality across conditions correlated with increases in environmental concern and well-being. Correlations at time one before the manipulation replicated the finding that ecospirituality independently predicts concern for nature and extends previous work by showing that ecospirituality independently predicts greater well-being. The correlational results suggest ecospirituality may offer benefits to nature and to oneself, but future research is needed to establish causal evidence for this contention.
... Engagement with nature in conjunction with the benefits it provides is another avenue through which experience is examined. For instance, engagement with natural beauty is associated with well-being benefits, and a systematic review of children's engagement with nature showed different types of engagement, such as exploration and leisure (Capaldi et al., 2017;Gill, 2014). Other conceptualizations of the term experience include components such as focus, oneness, timelessness, solitude, and care, as demonstrated in Borrie and Roggenbuck's (2001) study of emotions and cognitions during outdoor recreation. ...
Article
Full-text available
Human behavior is a key driver of the biodiversity crisis, and addressing it requires changing individual choices and actions. Yet, the same processes that imperil biodiversity (e.g., urbanization) also alienate people from the experience of nature, eroding care for the natural world. Although averting this extinction of experience is increasingly recognized as a major contemporary conservation challenge, understanding of what constitutes nature experience remains elusive and few empirical studies have explored it directly. Most researchers have used nature interactions as a stand‐in for experience, even though experience extends beyond interactions. We aimed to determine what constitutes the experience of nature and to propose a holistic, empirically derived framework that incorporates the multiple dimensions and components of the experience of nature. Using a mixed‐method approach across 3 countries (the United States, Switzerland, and Israel), we conducted a multistage, conceptual content, cognitive mapping (3CM) exercise with 106 participants. This methodology included developing a prompt to capture participants’ perceptions of nature experiences and subsequently refining and organizing their input into distinct components and underlying dimensions through an iterative engagement process. Beyond multisensory interactions with nature, experience of nature consisted of 2 dimensions: the circumstances in which interactions occur and the internal responses that encompass various cognitive, affective, and restorative benefits associated with nature interactions. These 3 dimensions had 33 components that occurred consistently across participants in the 3 countries. Frequently mentioned components included seeing animals, landscapes, or scenery; lack of human influence; weather conditions; relaxing, recharging; feeling good; and awe for nature. Fear and nature experienced at home were the least mentioned components. Together, our results showed that nature experience is a combination of nature interactions, circumstances, and internal responses. The emphasized components underscore the significance of offering access to extensive, less human‐influenced natural spaces. This in turn can foster a profound nature experience, cultivating feelings of connectedness and care for nature.
... Ayahuasca usage has been also associated with enhanced levels of aesthetic experience (Aday et al., 2023b). When directed towards the natural world, a greater sensitively and responsiveness to aesthetics and perceived beauty in nature can act as an important pathway towards greater nature relatedness (Capaldi et al., 2017;Lumber et al., 2017;Richardson & McEwan, 2018;Richardson & Hallam, 2013;Zhang et al., 2014). Further research could elucidate the degree to which ayahuasca-elicited selftranscendent emotions such as awe and empathy and changes in aesthetic experiencing influence shifts in nature relatedness. ...
Article
Full-text available
Indigenous Amazonian shamanic ayahuasca practice is embedded in a nature-based context and is employed as an ecological mediating agent and in collective environmental decision-making processes by some of the groups that use it. Phenomenologically, the ayahuasca experience is often rich in nature-based themes and content, and its usage has been associated with eliciting shifts in perspectives and attitudes towards nature. In this proof-of-concept study, participation in an ayahuasca retreat in a traditional Indigenous Amazonian context (with a mean of 6.31 ceremonies attended) was associated with significant increases in nature relatedness directly following ayahuasca retreats as assessed via the Short form Nature Relatedness Scale (NR-6) and The Extended Inclusion of Nature in Self scale (EINS), and improvements in depression and stress as assessed via the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21) were also found, but not on the anxiety subscale. Furthermore, a significant negative correlation with moderate effect size was found between changes in nature-relatedness and stress, suggesting that an increase in nature relatedness is associated with decreased stress levels after attending Amazonian ayahuasca retreats in our sample. It is currently unclear if the changes seen were due to consumption of the ayahuasca brew, participation in ceremony, or the retreat setting itself. Although this pilot study suggests a potential therapeutic role for Amazonian ayahuasca retreats as a multidimensional intervention, further work is required to assess the role of possible mediators underlying such shifts, while evaluating to what extent these are sustained for long term.
... Both the four-factor and five-factor models of the EBS-R-J subscales were positively correlated with both the Positive and Negative Emotion subscales of the EIS as we presumed, but were more strongly correlated with the Positive Emotion subscale. Previous studies have shown that the appreciation of beauty is associated with well-being (Capaldi et al., 2017;Güsewell & Ruch, 2012;Martínez-Martí et al., 2016), which may account for the significant correlation of the EBS-R-J with positive emotions in daily life. Additionally, the appreciation of artistic beauty (EBS-F2) and beautiful ideas (EBS-F4) in both models appear to be more closely associated with individuals' cognitive processes compared to the other subscales of EBS-R-J. ...
Article
Appreciation of beauty is an ability to find, recognize, and emotionally respond to beauty. It is often considered to be associated with several psychological fields, such as forms of the good life, love, transcendence, and exploration. The Engagement with Beauty Scale-Revised (EBS-R) is one of the most comprehensive scales for measuring the beauty appreciation trait. In this study, we have developed the Japanese version of this scale (EBS-R-J) and confirmed its reliability and validity through two surveys conducted in Japan. Specifically, this study has not only validated the original four-factor structure of the EBS-R-J, but also revealed an alternative five-factor model. Both models had satisfactory internal consistency estimates for the total score and sub-scales, had verified concurrent validity through examining correlations with the Aesthetic Emotions Scale (AESTHEMOS), had verified known-groups validity by comparing the scores of the EBS-R-J between groups of art-experienced and art-inexperienced individuals, and confirmed the temporal reliability of the EBS-R-J by means of correlation coefficients for a 4-week interval for the total score and each sub-scale score. In conclusion, the EBS-R-J developed in this study has relatively satisfactory reliability and validity, indicating that it represents a valid measure of the trait of beauty appreciation in the Japanese language.
... Along with their demographics, participants were asked to rate their Nature Connectedness via the Inclusion of Nature in Self scale (1-7 scale) [60] and to recall the amount of time they spent outdoors during their childhood, ranging from "none" (1) to "a lot" (4). Nature Connectedness, one's extent of affective affiliation with nature [61], has been shown to act as a moderator of the well-being benefits derived from being in nature [62]. ...
Article
Full-text available
Green spaces can support human stress reduction and foster positive emotional well-being. Previous research has suggested that biodiversity (i.e. the variety of species of plants and animals in a given location) can enhance recovery from stress even further. However, there is limited experimental evidence testing this hypothesis and results, to date, have been mixed. This study aimed to provide further understanding of the role of biodiversity (actual or perceived) on human well-being by experimentally manipulating species richness and stress. Participants (372 in total) took part in an online experiment, where they received an episode of mild stress before watching a 360-degree video to recover. The video showed the same location, an urban woodland, but at one of four artificially manipulated levels of biodiversity. The participants reported their Positive and Negative Affect before and after the stress induction and after watching the video, providing a measure of their stress and well-being throughout the experiment. Participants also reported their perceptions of biodiversity (i.e. how diverse they thought the location was) and elaborated on their responses with brief comments. Repeated Measure Analysis of Variance revealed that exposure to all levels of biodiversity reduced the participants’ Negative Affect, but with no significant difference between the conditions. However, the analysis showed higher Positive Affect in those participants who perceived the environment as more biodiverse. Comments from participants indicated that those who reported noticing flowers and trees in the environment also showed higher Positive Affect. This suggests that perceiving biodiversity promotes more positive emotions, but critically one needs to actually notice (engage with) the components of biodiversity to elicit these extra benefits.
... Moreover, three studies demonstrated different triadic relationships among engagement with natural beauty, nature connectedness, and well-being. Capaldi et al. 42 found that nature connectedness mediated the relationship between engagement with natural beauty and well-being. Richardson and McEwan 43 found that engagement with natural beauty mediated the relationship between nature connectedness and well-being, whereas Zhang, Howell, and Iyer 44 showed that engagement with natural beauty moderated the relationship between nature connectedness and well-being. ...
Article
Full-text available
Contact with nature has emotional benefits, but the psychological mechanism and potential moderator underlying the association between nature contact and emotion regulation remain unclear. The present study investigated how self-reported frequency of nature contact is associated with the use of emotion regulation strategies and explored the mediating role of nature connectedness (i.e., psychological connection to nature) and the moderating role of engagement with natural beauty. Employing mediation and moderated mediation analyses, in a cross-sectional sample of 2097 young adults aged 18–35 years old ( M = 24.01, SD = 4.80) residing in urban China, we obtained three major findings. First, nature connectedness mediated the associations between direct/indirect nature contact and cognitive reappraisal as well as expressive suppression. Second, engagement with natural beauty moderated the path from direct/indirect nature contact to cognitive reappraisal in the mediation models. Third, engagement with natural beauty moderated the path from indirect nature contact to nature connectedness in the mediation models. Our study is the first to reveal mediating and moderating factors in the relationships among direct/indirect contact with nature, nature connectedness, engagement with natural beauty, and emotion regulation strategies. These findings provide support for the emotional health of nature contact and have implications for nature-based education and urban planning.
... He asserts that exposure to nature is an essential component for the physical and emotional health of both children and adults. His ideas around exposure to a natural environment creating a positive sense of place, reducing stress and promoting cognitive restoration are supported by empirical evidence (Haluza et al., 2014); (Marselle et al., 2016); (Capaldi et al., 2017). They resonate with Wilson's Biophilia Hypothesis (Wilson, 1984) which posits that throughout time, humans have been connected to nature and that in modern society humans still subconsciously seek to retain their connections with living things. ...
... To give some examples, Mayer et al. [23] reported a positive effect of nature exposure on the ability to reflect on life's problems and positive effects, where the increase in a connectedness to nature was a key process for mediating those beneficial outcomes. In a cross-cultural multi-study, Capaldi et al. [24] found that engagement with natural beauty promotes wellbeing through the indirect effect of connectedness to nature. In Liu et al.'s study [25], the awe of nature, a positive emotion arising from the perceived vastness of the natural environments, improved the participants' well-being by increasing their connectedness to nature. ...
Article
Full-text available
The 2019 outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) had a devastating impact on millions of people worldwide. Following the constantly changing course of the pandemic, the Italian government massively restricted public and private life to prevent the further spread of the virus. Unfortunately, lockdown policies negatively impacted many people’s mental and physical health. Numerous studies recognized an essential role of urban green areas in promoting human well-being. The present study aims to evaluate the effect of personal dispositions towards nature, measured using the connectedness to nature scale (CNS) and actual contact with green spaces (CwN) on human well-being (i.e., anxiety) and medicine intake during COVID-19 lockdowns. A total of 637 Italian residents answered a survey aimed at gathering information about the above variables. A series of path analyses were performed. The results showed that the CNS was positively associated with the CwN, and the latter, in turn, was negatively associated with anxiety. Finally, anxiety was positively related to medicine intake. In sum, these results identify the positive role of person–nature relationships for individual well-being during COVID-19 restrictions.
... Outdoor recreation promotes an active lifestyle, reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and other chronic health conditions (Lachowycz & Jones, 2013;Twohig-Bennett & Jones, 2018). Exposure to parks and greenspaces has also been associated with improved cognitive function (Bratman et al., 2019), attention restoration (Kaplan, 1995), stress reduction (Hunter et al., 2019), subjective and emotional well-being (Capaldi et al., 2017;Larson et al., 2016), and positive social relationships (Jennings & Bamkole, 2019). ...
... One is the Engagement with natural beauty -i.e., the degree to which individuals perceive natural beauty and are emotionally aroused by nature's beauty (Zhang et al., 2014). There is an emerging line of research that suggests a positive relation between individual's tendency to perceive natural beauty and well-being across different cultures (Diessner et al., 2008;Capaldi et al., 2017). The second one is Job demands, defined as "physical, social, or organizational aspects of the job that require sustained physical or mental effort and are therefore associated with certain physiological and psychological costs" (Demerouti et al., 2001, p. 501). ...
Article
Full-text available
A significant number of studies have been conducted in order to explore the effects of greenery on various aspects of human functioning. However, little is known about how natural elements affect indicators of well-being at work, such as work burnout or work engagement. Two studies (Study 1, winter – Ljubljana, Slovenia; Study 2, spring – Novi Sad, Serbia) were performed in order to: 1) assess the effect of natural elements on work burnout and work engagement in two different seasons (winter and spring); 2) explore if gender moderates the effects of workplace greenery on work burnout and work engagement. The results from Study 1 (winter) showed that, after the exclusion of outliers from the dataset, neither indoor nor outdoor greenery had a significant effect on work engagement and work burnout. Contrary to this, in Study 2 (spring) outdoor greenery exerted a significant effect on both burnout and engagement, while indoor greenery did not. The moderating effect of gender was not clear and further studies on this topic are needed. Thus, the current research extends the existing literature on workplace greenery and demonstrates that natural elements can, to some extent, affect indicators of employee well-being, such as burnout and work engagement.
... In the context of OEE, this might suggest that incorporating programming that targets any one of the worldviews noted above might also affect connectedness. Most relevant to OEE, programming aimed at increasing participant's appreciation for natural beauty (e.g., Capaldi et al., 2017), systems thinking (e.g., Davis & Stroink, 2016a), biospheric concern (e.g., Mayer & Frantz, 2004), or environmental attitudes (e.g., Nisbet et al., 2009) might spill over into increased connectedness as well. Additionally, it suggests the possibility of targeting more domain-general worldviews such as empathy (Di Fabio & Kenny, 2018), spirituality (Hedlund-de Witt et al., 2014), or even minimalism (i.e., as a contrast to consumerism; Mayer & Frantz, 2004) to support increases in connectedness. ...
Chapter
Full-text available
Outdoor education and environmental education developed as separate educational movements, each with distinctive aspects but also closely related, sharing some common content and underlying educational pedagogies. This chapter seeks to anchor this association leading to outdoor environmental education (OEE) as a contemporary form of environmental education in which the outdoors provides a setting conducive for meaningful teaching and learning in environmental education. The chapter opens with a brief presentation of the historical development of each field, continues in identifying several social–environmental factors and educational theories that lay the grounds for linking OE and EE. Through these, this chapter claims that the features of OEE contribute to its promise as progressive transformative education for cultivating environmental citizenship. Many educational systems still do not acknowledge the outdoors as legitimate learning settings that can promote meaningful learning in the contemporary world. This chapter closes in addressing some of the ongoing practical challenges confronting OEE that arise from this situation.KeywordsSituating OEE in contemporary educational theoriesChallenges of OEELinking EE and OEOEE and environmental citizenship
... In the context of OEE, this might suggest that incorporating programming that targets any one of the worldviews noted above might also affect connectedness. Most relevant to OEE, programming aimed at increasing participant's appreciation for natural beauty (e.g., Capaldi et al., 2017), systems thinking (e.g., Davis & Stroink, 2016a), biospheric concern (e.g., Mayer & Frantz, 2004), or environmental attitudes (e.g., Nisbet et al., 2009) might spill over into increased connectedness as well. Additionally, it suggests the possibility of targeting more domain-general worldviews such as empathy (Di Fabio & Kenny, 2018), spirituality (Hedlund-de Witt et al., 2014), or even minimalism (i.e., as a contrast to consumerism; Mayer & Frantz, 2004) to support increases in connectedness. ...
Book
This edited volume explores the role of outdoor environmental education in the contemporary society. It identifies some of the opportunities and challenges of this educational area, particularly in the growing digitalization of the contemporary society and the distancing between people and nature. Furthermore, it seeks to answer why outdoor environmental education is essential for developing students’ environmental citizenship competencies or developing their relationship with nature. The book also introduces the various approaches existing in the field, discusses their relevance, and highlights their unique features. The book finishes with an overview of the practice of outdoor environmental education in selected countries from North America, Europe, and Asia.
... Research clearly demonstrates that exposure to nature is related to a suite of both hedonic (experience of pleasure or feeling good) and eudemonic (experience of meaning and purpose or functioning well) well-being metrics and other benefits for people, including lower stress, better mood, improved working memory, reduced risk of psychiatric disorders, and increased positive feelings of belonging, self-esteem, satisfaction with life and gratitude (e.g. Capaldi et al., 2017;Fagerholm et al., 2020;Richardson & Hamlin, 2021;Sandifer et al., 2015;Schertz & Berman, 2019;Weir, 2020). In addition, data also indicate that people who regularly experience activities that nourish their need for Earth Connection have increased motivation to engage in positive conservation behaviours (Richardson & Hamlin, 2021). ...
... The Pathways consist of five values inspired by Kellert's proposed biophilic values (1993) as follows: 1) naturalistic value -a sense pathway: engaging with nature through one's senses; 2) humanistic value -emotion pathway: reflecting on/being mindful of affective states elicited by engaging with nature; 3) symbolic value -meaning pathway: finding personal meaning in nature via using nature or nature-based symbolism to communicate concepts not directly expressed; 4) moralist values -compassion pathway: extending one's self to include nature, finding similarity with nature which in turn leads to acting compassionately towards the rest of nature; and 5) esthetic value -beauty pathway: noticing the esthetic beauty of nature. While the pathways framework has received direct empirical support ( Richardson et al., 2020, further work has supported their importance for nature connectedness including bodily sensations ( Coughlan et al., 2022 ), emotions ( Uhlmann et al., 2018 ), meaning and spirituality through nature ( Howell et al., 2012 ), social relational emotions such as compassion ( Petersen et al., 2019 ), and natural beauty ( Capaldi et al., 2017 ). Engaging in activities which draw upon the pathways has been shown to predict nature connectedness ( Richardson et al., 2022b ), and to also increase it over and above simple exposure to nature (Lumber et al.). ...
Article
Full-text available
The psychological construct of nature connectedness has been consistently linked to well-being and pro-nature behavioral outcomes, with a sense of self considered important for individuals to feel like they are part of nature. Interventions focusing on noticing good things in nature and the Five Pathways Framework have been utilized to help people reconnect with the more-than-human world although they have often overlooked incorporating nature within the self-concept and emphasizing similarity with nature despite its importance for the construct. We developed and tested a related, but alternative, approach to previous interventions to focus on similarity and sense of self through anthropomorphism: that of mindfully identifying how one's own character strengths are exhibited in nature. A Structured Tabular Thematic Analysis was conducted on 747 written observations (n = 93) of shared character strengths in nature. Five themes were generated: (1) finding representations of the self through seasonal change; (2) identifying with weather and the character strengths it possesses; (3) experiencing awe and wonder in nature through shared character strengths; (4) nature as an honest or dishonest entity; and (5) the inability to find similarity between oneself and nature. These themes provide insight into the ability of the intervention to enable participants to find a sense of self in the rest of nature when identifying shared strengths. Nature connectedness pathways of meaning, compassion, and beauty were also evident in the observations. Implications for using a character strengths-based approach to boost nature connectedness through a shared sense of self and similarity are discussed. The identification of personal character strengths shared with nature offers a new and meaningful way to reconnect with the more-than-human world to which we belong.
... Ces résultats sont en outre confirmés par diverses méta-analyses qui attestent de la robustesse de l'effet positif retrouvé. Enfin, ils sont expliqués par différentes conceptions dont les plus consensuelles à l'heure actuelle sont la restauration attentionnelle (Kaplan, 1995) et la théorie psychophysiologique (Ulrich, 1983) selon plusieurs chercheurs (e.g., Capaldi et al., 2017 ;Han, 2017 ;Hurly & Walker, 2019). Compte tenu de ces éléments, nous estimons que les bénéfices de la nature sur la santé ne sont plus à démontrer aujourd'hui. ...
Thesis
Les bienfaits des espaces de nature urbains sur la santé mentale sont attestés par de nombreuses publications scientifiques. Aujourd’hui, les recherches montrent que la diversité paysagère ainsi que les caractéristiques inter-individuelles induisent des effets différentiels sur la santé et le bien-être des usagers. L’objectif de cette thèse est de spécifier comment une expérience de nature bénéfique combine les composantes subjectives et environnementales. La recherche est menée à partir d’une expérience de nature in situ. Les comportements sont évalués par l’oculométrie, les cognitions avec l’entretien d’explicitation et les affects par le biais d’échelles psychométriques relatives à l’humeur et l’anxiété. Nos données objectivent un phénomène de restauration attentionnelle lors de cette expérience. La combinaison des approches psychologiques et paysagères renseigne qu’un paysage avec une faible verticalité et un champ visuel étendu favorise davantage la restauration. Enfin, nos analyses indiquent que le caractère thérapeutique de l’expérience de nature est lié à l’expérimentation d’états de pleine conscience. L’originalité de ce travail est de proposer une méthodologie mettant en évidence l’effet bénéfique de paysages contrastés Elle présente cependant des limites pour lesquelles des solutions sont proposées. Nos résultats suggèrent que l’expérience de nature constitue une véritable stratégie pour réduire l’anxiété et promouvoir l’euthymie en ramenant aux sensations présentes, c’est-à-dire à une expérience proche de la pleine conscience.
... Nature connectedness -also known as nature relatedness -is a validated psychological construct that measures a person's emotional, cognitive, and experiential connection with the natural world. Importantly, nature connectedness has been linked to wellbeing (Capaldi et al. 2017). Broadly, engaging with nature has been shown to enhance a person's nature connectedness (Richardson et al. 2018;Pritchard et al. 2020). ...
Preprint
Full-text available
Mounting evidence supports the connections between exposure to environment types––such as green spaces and biodiversity––and human health. However, the mechanistic links that connect biodiversity (the variety of life) and human health, plus the level of supporting evidence, are less clear. Here, we undertook a scoping review to map the links between biodiversity and human health and summarise the levels of associated evidence using an established weight of evidence framework. Distinct from other reviews, we provide additional context regarding the environment-microbiome-health axis, evaluate the environmental buffering pathway (e.g., biodiversity impacts on air pollution), and draw upon expert opinion to provide case studies on three underrepresented linkages. The case studies include (1) biodiversity and Indigenous Peoples’ health, (2) biodiversity and urban social equity, and (3) biodiversity and COVID-19. We observed a moderate level of evidence to support the environmental microbiota-human health pathway and a moderate-high level of evidence to support broader nature pathways (e.g., green space) to various health outcomes, from stress reduction to enhanced wellbeing and improved social cohesion. However, studies of broader nature pathways did not typically include specific biodiversity metrics, indicating clear research gaps. Further research is required to understand the connections and causative pathways between biodiversity (e.g., using metrics such as taxonomy, diversity/richness, structure, and function) and health outcomes. There are well-established frameworks to assess the effects of broad classifications of nature on human health. These can assist future research in linking biodiversity metrics to human health outcomes. Our case studies on underrepresented linkages highlight the roles of biodiversity and its loss on urban lived experiences, infectious diseases, and Indigenous Peoples’ sovereignty and livelihoods. More research and awareness of these socioecological interconnections are needed.
... This meta-analysis synthesized data from 22 articles to study the relationship between connectedness to nature and well-being across various domains, including psychological, emotional, and overall well-being [67][68][69][70][71][72][73][74][75]. The results revealed mediumto-large effect sizes, indicating medium to strong correlations and relationships between connectedness to nature and well-being. ...
Article
Ecotherapy and nature-based interventions have been shown to be evidence-based treatment for physical and mental health. The rekindling of relationships between humans and nature helps cultivate a bi-directional, reciprocal circle of healing. The resulting benefit is the increased well-being of individuals, society, and the Earth. This study is a metaanalytic review of 13 articles (22 studies) examining the relationship between connection to nature and various domains of well-being, including emotional, psychological, social, and overall well-being. The eligibility criteria for this study were the inclusion of at least one measure of connectedness to nature, one measure of well-being or life satisfaction, and a quantitative measure of their relationship. This meta-analysis combined quantitative results from multiple studies to summarize the empirical knowledge on the relationship between connection to nature and well-being/life satisfaction. A random-effects model was used to find one common effect size, showing the overall magnitude of the relationship among these variables. The results yielded moderate to large effect sizes, revealing a positive relationship between connectedness to nature and the various domains of well-being. The findings have valuable implications, highlighting the imperative necessity to reconnect and heal our relationship with the earth in order to embrace embodiment, to advocate for social justice for a more inclusive and equitable world, and to cultivate holistic health and healing.
... The Pathways consist of five values inspired by Kellert's proposed biophilic values (1993) as follows: 1) naturalistic value -a sense pathway: engaging with nature through one's senses; 2) humanistic value -emotion pathway: reflecting on/being mindful of affective states elicited by engaging with nature; 3) symbolic value -meaning pathway: finding personal meaning in nature via using nature or nature-based symbolism to communicate concepts not directly expressed; 4) moralist values -compassion pathway: extending one's self to include nature, finding similarity with nature which in turn leads to acting compassionately towards the rest of nature; and 5) esthetic value -beauty pathway: noticing the esthetic beauty of nature. While the pathways framework has received direct empirical support ( Richardson et al., 2020, further work has supported their importance for nature connectedness including bodily sensations ( Coughlan et al., 2022 ), emotions ( Uhlmann et al., 2018 ), meaning and spirituality through nature ( Howell et al., 2012 ), social relational emotions such as compassion ( Petersen et al., 2019 ), and natural beauty ( Capaldi et al., 2017 ). Engaging in activities which draw upon the pathways has been shown to predict nature connectedness ( Richardson et al., 2022b ), and to also increase it over and above simple exposure to nature (Lumber et al.). ...
... Past research has found that children who spend time in the environment develop strong connections with nature (Richardson et al., 2016). Children's mental well-being, development and general physical health have all found to benefit from time spent in nature (Capaldi et al., 2017). Through play-based learning in underdeveloped parklands, forests and beaches, children can build an appreciation of and care for the environment (Harvey et al., 2020). ...
Article
Full-text available
For over 50 years, the forest school approach to nature learning has gathered momentum in the UK and across parts of Europe including Scandinavia (Knight, 2016). In other contexts such as Canada, New Zealand and Australia, nature-based early childhood education and care settings, influenced by European forest school approaches, have begun to gain popularity. Opportunities for STEM education occur in nature-based settings, such as forest schools and nature kindergartens, yet this area has only garnered limited research attention to date. One such example of a nature kindergarten which emerged in the 2010s is Australian ‘bush kinder’ where 4- to 5-year-old preschool children experience and learn from nature. This paper arrives at an innovative conceptualisation of STEM teaching and learning in bush kinders. Through analysing research in early years STEM education, teacher pedagogy and early childhood learning, I propose a teaching and learning process that is replicable for similar nature-based early childhood education and care settings. Drawing on vignettes from ethnographic fieldwork data, the conceptualisation of an integrated approach to STEM teaching in bush kinders is illustrated. To frame the approach to STEM teaching, this analysis builds on the notions that STEM teaching and learning can take the form of a five-phased cyclical process. It is this process that contributes to the conceptualisation of STEM teaching and learning in early childhood education.
... Studies conducted in this direction often focus on nature and natural beauties. Capaldi et al. (2017) states that since the perception of beauty develops connectedness with nature, it can enable individuals to move away from or avoid stressful environments. ...
... Many of the statements in our study also reflect this, adding to the call for a better integration of geodiversity with biodiversity in nature conservation and landscape management plans (Erikstad, 2013;Hjort et al., 2015). F I G U R E 6 Correspondence analysis plot with categories of terms (square) and statements (circles), grouped into themes (shaded clusters) (Capaldi et al., 2017;Frumkin et al., 2017;Martin et al., 2020;Zylstra et al., 2014). It is not enough for people to spend time in nature, they also need to notice and appreciate nature to build connectedness and realize physiological, psychological and social benefits. ...
Chapter
Full-text available
Key messages: People value ecosystems for the different contributions that they make to human well-being, both material and non-material. Non-material contributions, such as those related to identity, sense of place and psychological well-being, have affective, cognitive and sensory dimensions. Although overlooked in ecosystem management and research, the affective and sensory aspects are important for connectedness with nature, human well-being, conservation and environmental justice. This brief summarizes the main findings of qualitative research in Apurimac (Peru) that explores the affective, cognitive and sensory dimensions of people’s ecosystem experiences and imaginaries. Understanding the diversity of people’s experiences and imaginaries is important for more equitable and sustainable ecosystem management.
... Many of the statements in our study also reflect this, adding to the call for a better integration of geodiversity with biodiversity in nature conservation and landscape management plans (Erikstad, 2013;Hjort et al., 2015). F I G U R E 6 Correspondence analysis plot with categories of terms (square) and statements (circles), grouped into themes (shaded clusters) (Capaldi et al., 2017;Frumkin et al., 2017;Martin et al., 2020;Zylstra et al., 2014). It is not enough for people to spend time in nature, they also need to notice and appreciate nature to build connectedness and realize physiological, psychological and social benefits. ...
Article
Full-text available
The cultural ecosystem services (CES) construct has evolved to accommodate multiple worldviews, knowledge systems and conceptualizations of nature and values, including relational and mental health values. Cultural ecosystem services research and practice has mostly focused on cognitive ways of constructing and expressing intangible values of, and relationships with, nature. But our non‐material relationships with nature are not exclusively cognitive: sensory and affective processes are fundamental to how we build, enact and experience these relationships. Building on the core ideas of relational values, embodied experiences and connectedness with nature, we present a simple framework to explore the sensory, affective and cognitive dimensions of human–nature interactions, as well as the settings and activities that frame them. We demonstrate its use in a case study in the Peruvian Andes, where we applied an inductive, exploratory approach to elicit personal imageries and imaginings related to nature, place and recreation. The narratives shared were rich with symbolism and personal sensory experiences, emotions and memories, which the interviewees linked with general assertions about people, place and nature. We discuss the usefulness of such a perspective for CES research, and for human well‐being, environmental justice and landscape management.
... Such immersive interactions with natural elements have been described as the ultimate expression of biophilia (Kellert, 1997), and small humble habitats can be as important as larger protected areas in helping foster a sense of being fully and viscerally connected to the rest of life (Pyle, 2003). An appreciation for beauty and aesthetics in nature is also considered an important pathway to enhanced nature connectedness (Capaldi et al., 2017;Lumber et al., 2017;Richardson & McEwan, 2018;Zhang et al., 2014), with biodiversity having been linked to aesthetic value (Fischer & Young, 2007;Kiester, 1997;Lindemann-Matthies et al., 2010;Lindemann-Matthies & Marty, 2013;Novacek, 2008;Southon et al., 2017;Tribot et al., 2016). While unsustainable landscape change and simplification has been associated with a decline in nature connectedness (Riechers et al., 2020(Riechers et al., , 2021, more biodiverse landscapes of higher biophilic quality are likely to exhibit a richer sensorial tapestry, with important implications for nature connectedness amongst those who can access and have contact with such settings. ...
Article
Full-text available
Biodiversity is declining in the UK, which is considered one of the most nature-depleted parts of the world. The reestablishment of the Eurasian beaver (Castor fiber) has been posited as an effective means of facilitating a restoration of biodiversity in Britain, and following successful trials, nationwide reintroduction is being considered. This literature review considers the potential psychological benefits of such an initiative. Beavers could act as a 'super restorer', facilitating psychological as well as ecological restoration through a beneficial synergy of effects. Through their eco-engineering activities, beavers increase biodiversity at the landscape scale and facilitate habitat restoration and creation (creating a mosaic of green and blue space, and a sense of wilderness) all of which can increase the psychological well-being of visitors. Their creation of biodiverse natural settings offers the possibility of increased nature connectedness and nature-based psychological restoration amongst some of the human population of the UK. Beaver reintroduction may represent a partial antidote to 'shifting baseline syndrome' and beavers could act as a flagship species and become a totem of hope as eco-anxiety increases. Beavers can potentially have negative psychological impacts, and this will require appropriate planning, management and communication among stakeholders coupled with community-led initiatives to mitigate. Overall psychological benefits of beaver reintroduction likely exceed that of any other single species' reintroduction or conservation initiative of equivalent cost, and far outweigh the costs of their reintroduction and management.
... In this respect, research on CN in recent years has focused substantially on the benefits of this connection for psychological well-being. People who are more connected to nature are more satisfied with life [2] and have reported greater happiness [3][4][5] and positive affects [6,7]. CN is also associated with social well-being (e.g., social acceptance) [8], mindfulness [9], meaning of life and vitality [10,11]. ...
Article
Full-text available
Connectedness to nature (CN) is a significant predictor of pro-environmental behaviours, human health and well-being. However, research on how this connection to the natural world might promote a more active lifestyle and improve body mass composition according to gender is lacking. This study investigated the influence of CN on physical activity (PA) and body composition in adults and older people. We recruited a sample of 219 individuals (77 men and 142 women), and a self-administered questionnaire was used to measure CN and obtain demographic data. Body composition was assessed by bioimpedance, and PA was assessed by accelerometry. Correlations and stepwise multiple regressions were used in data analysis. CN’s association with other variables was more pronounced in women than in men, and we only identified significant associations with steps/day and body composition. However, this variable would not be included in the regression models that we developed. Adiposity levels and muscle status were significant predictors of PA in women. In both genders, age, percentage of fat mass and fat-free mass were selected as regressors in the models developed for visceral fat area and muscle condition (R2 Adjusted ≥ 0.908).
Article
Full-text available
Land abandonment and rural depopulation are escalating worldwide, presenting sustainability dilemmas for both rural and urban regions. However, there remains a dearth of research on the sociocultural dimensions of abandonment from a local standpoint. This investigation focuses on a case study conducted in southeastern Spain, wherein a social survey was used to evaluate the perspectives of local communities concerning human–nature interconnectedness, land abandonment, and their impacts on quality of life. A survey campaign was administered in the case study region during the spring of 2021, and 122 surveys were collected. The findings identify, in the context of the progressive abandonment of rural lands in Spain, key factors that explain the desire of local people to inhabit and not abandon rural regions in southeastern Spain. Our results also show a strong connection between people and nature in rural Spain, which is explained by the capacity of locals to form relational values in rural environments and the existence of philosophical worldviews and emotional attachments to rural lifestyles. However, barriers to not abandoning rural environments were also identified, including a lack of professional and economic opportunities. Our results suggest that the mitigation of depopulation in rural areas in Spain requires actions to foster land stewardship and address socioeconomic imbalances.
Article
Full-text available
Researchers, practitioners, and policy-makers are having to deal with the negative impact of body image concerns in populations globally. One cost-effective way of promoting healthier body image outcomes is through exposure to natural environments. A growing body of research has shown that spending time in, interacting with, and even just looking at natural environments can promote healthier body image outcomes. In this narrative review, I consider the different forms of evidence documenting an association between nature exposure and body image (i.e., cross-sectional and mediational, experimental and quasi-experimental, comparative, prospective, experience sampling, and qualitative research). Beyond this, I shine a critical light on the available evidence, highlighting concerns with methodological (i.e., who research has focused on and what types of natural environments have been considered), psychometric (i.e., how body image and nature exposure are measured), and conceptual issues (how the association is explained). I conclude that, although there are issues affecting the way the existing body of research is to be understood, there are reasons to be hopeful that nature exposure can be leveraged to promote healthier body image outcomes in diverse populations.
Article
Full-text available
La pandemia Covid-19 impacto de forma económica y psicosocial al mundo, en el caso del turismo fue uno de los sectores más afectado. La pandemia nos hizo más conscientes del valorar la salud y el medio ambiente, el reto es identificar como atender mejor a los objetivos en la agenda 2030, que tiene ver directamente con la salud de las personas, trabajos decentes y mejorar la economía en general, para dar una alternativa a estas problemáticas, el objetivo de este trabajo es identificar a los baños de bosque como una alternativa viable para ser aprovechado como elemento facilitador para el desarrollo sostenible y para algunos de los objetivos de la agenda 2030, a través de una investigación de tipo exploratorio apoyada en el análisis documental se logró identificar a los baños de bosque como una alternativa de gran alcance para servir como catalizador del desarrollo sostenible y principalmente en algunos de los objetivos de la agenda 2030. Las principales conclusiones apuntan a que los baños de bosque son una herramienta muy útil y necesaria que puede aportar impactos muy positivos en la vida moderna y ayudar a preservar el medio ambiente e impulso al turismo.
Chapter
Psychology has many insights to offer in our collective attempts to reconnect individuals with nature. Based upon the literature on the antecedents of connectedness to nature, it is important to consider how any given outdoor environmental education experience influences participants’ affective experiences (e.g., awe, compassion), frames of mind (e.g., mindfulness), and ways of thinking about themselves and nature (e.g., introspection, anthropomorphism). This chapter reviews relevant literature on the psychological understanding of the antecedents of connectedness and points to potential applications of this knowledge in outdoor and environmental education. In doing so, we will emphasize the process through which antecedents increase connectedness to identify specific points of intervention and how they can be leveraged to provide impactful outdoor educational experiences. Further, using this extensive body of literature and incorporating critical perspectives, we will address the question of adapting current research and praxis to increasingly urbanized worlds.KeywordsMindfulnessAnthtropomorphismCompassionNature connectionWonder
Article
Full-text available
Aesthetic experiences of nature are associated with beneficial psychological and behavioural outcomes. We investigated in a laboratory study whether an individual’s level of connectedness to nature is associated with their aesthetic sensitivity to images of natural scenes, and whether the amount of attention allocated to the images mediated this association. Participants ( N = 82) viewed 14 photographs depicting natural scenes and evaluated them on three aesthetic dimensions and completed the Connectedness to Nature (CN) and Openness to Experience (OtE) scales. CN positively predicted pleasure, beauty and aesthetic emotion, independently of OtE. The amount of attention participants paid to the images mediated the relationship between connectedness to nature and aesthetic pleasure, and connectedness to nature and beauty ratings. These findings extend our understanding by showing that attention is an important mechanism through which nature connectedness influences aesthetic responses of pleasantness and beauty in response to natural scenes. The findings have real-world implications as appreciation of the aesthetic qualities of nature is associated with a number of beneficial psychological outcomes.
Article
The research shows the relationship of adolescents with natural environments and some impacts arising from the social isolation imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. A face-to-face survey was applied with 277 adolescents (mean = 16.08 years; SD = 1.09) before the pandemic was declared, and during the pandemic 79 of them returned to answer an online survey. The results showed that adolescents had different frequencies of contact with natural environments before social isolation, but in that case, the family was the main mediator. Those who went more often to natural environments and who saw themselves as part of nature were the ones who most missed nature and wanted to go to natural spaces, and were also those who expressed greater concern about environmental problems during the pandemic.
Thesis
Full-text available
Obecny model rozwoju, czyli ścieżki osiągania dobrobytu, doprowadził nas do kryzysu klimatyczno-ekologicznego na bezprecedensową skalę. Skutki tego kryzysu odczuwane są także w Polsce, szczególnie dotkliwie za sprawą smogu. Na gruncie ekonomii podejmowane są próby silniejszego włączenia środowiska naturalnego do koncepcji rozwoju, równolegle rozwijają się ujęcia dobrobytu alternatywne wobec tradycyjnych mierników dochodu. Jednak badania nad korelatami poszerzonego ujęcia dobrobytu rzadko biorą pod uwagę czynniki ze sfery środowiskowej. Niniejsza praca wpisuje się w tę lukę, dążąc do zbadania związku między różnie ujmowanym dobrobytem a przestrzennie określonymi środowiskowymi efektami zewnętrznymi rozwoju, na przykładzie zanieczyszczenia powietrza w regionie metropolitalnym Warszawy. Umiejscowienie analizy na poziomie lokalnym osadza problem kosztów środowiskowych w kontekście przemian przestrzennych miasta i wsi, w tym zwłaszcza suburbanizacji. Badanie rozpoczynam od usystematyzowania roli środowiska w trzech ujęciach dobrobytu, tj. ekonomicznym, społecznym oraz subiektywnym. Pozwala to zidentyfikować koncepcje i teorie opisujące oczekiwaną relację danego ujęcia dobrobytu z degradacją środowiska, tj. hipotezę Środowiskowej Krzywej Kuznetsa, koncepcję sprawiedliwości ekologicznej oraz dorobek ekonomii szczęścia. Drugim fundamentem badania jest kompleksowa analiza zanieczyszczenia powietrza – w oparciu o schemat DPSIR uzasadniam, że jest to kluczowe wyzwanie cywilizacyjne dla Polski, mające charakter problemu splątanego. W części empirycznej badania opieram się na zaawansowanych technikach statystycznych, by prześledzić kształt relacji między zanieczyszczeniem powietrza i poszczególnymi ujęciami dobrobytu. Wykorzystując model regresji przestrzennej wskazuję, że na szczeblu gmin woj. mazowieckiego wzrost dobrobytu społecznego i ekonomicznego napędza zanieczyszczenie powietrza, choć w przypadku miary ekonomicznego dobrobytu rysuje się próg, powyżej którego ten negatywny wpływ zanika. Na tle badanego regionu zaznacza się relatywnie korzystna pozycja strefy pery-miejskiej, potwierdzając znaczenie walorów środowiska dla suburbanizacji. W dalszej części, wykorzystując autorskie badanie zrealizowane w Warszawie wykazuję negatywny wpływ krótkookresowych wahań poziomu zanieczyszczenia powietrza oraz postrzeganej jakości powietrza na deklarowane przez respondentów zadowolenie z życia. Uzyskane wyniki potwierdzają, że zależnie od przyjętego modelu dobrobytu, różne będą konsekwencje rozwoju dla środowiska. W kontekście wyzwania zrównoważonego rozwoju, szczególne znaczenie zyskuje subiektywna koncepcja dobrobytu. Pozwala ona bowiem przełamać dotychczasową separację sfery społecznej i środowiskowej, wykazując, jak degradacja środowiska – faktyczna i postrzegana – umniejsza poziom odczuwanego dobrobytu.
Article
Full-text available
Empirical evidence of nature’s benefits to cognitive and emotional well-being is emerging. In this study, 48 Taiwanese young adults (24 indoors and 24 outdoors in urban greenspace) completed four weekly 45 min exposure sessions. The study explores whether the outdoor group surpasses the indoor group in cognitive and emotional well-being and nature connectedness. There were no significant differences for the indoor group across different measurements of rumination and connectedness to nature. However, the outdoor group displayed a significant reduction in rumination post-test compared to the one week prior and the first session. Similarly, for sessions two, three, and four and one month post-test, the outdoor group’s connectedness to nature was significantly higher than pre-test. Specific autobiographical memory was enhanced while overgeneral autobiographic memory was reduced during the third and fourth sessions, though these changes were not sustained at one-month follow-up. Surprisingly, both groups yielded similar results in decreased depression, anxiety, and stress. A significantly higher number of outdoor group participants had employed nature exposure for coping with stress or emotions after the program. We discuss the implications of this for counseling services for young adults and highlight future research possibilities, including formulating a nature-exposure protocol and a program evaluation for consolidating evidence-based nature prescription.
Chapter
One of the first times the effect of nature on stress relief was investigated, the results were so remarkable that the top journal Science devoted space to them. The study, published in 1984, showed that American patients who had undergone gall bladder surgery recovered faster when they could see a tree from their hospital window than when they could only see a blank wall. In 2003, in the Netherlands, one of the first epidemiological studies was conducted in which the amount of green space in the residential environment was objectively assessed and shown to be related to the health of residents. This chapter provides an overview of more recent research on the relation between nature in cities and the health and well-being of their inhabitants. Implications of the available knowledge for urban planning and design are discussed.
Article
People who regard nature as important and personally meaningful are often compelled to conserve it. This compulsion is increasingly vital in a world where global climate and biodiversity crises are worsening, with younger generations set to bear most of the resulting ecological burden. By understanding why children and adolescents value nature, we can gain insights into how they might act for its benefit. In this study, we asked over 1000 Australian students (aged 8–14) to explain why ‘nature’ was—or was not—important to them. Qualitative responses were gathered via a survey methodology using an online questionnaire, with thematic analysis used to identify key findings. Results show that respondents valued nature for its ability to keep humans alive and resourced, also appreciating nature as beautiful and relaxing. Respondents frequently commented on how nature made them feel: happiness, love, freedom, and calm featured prominently. A small number of students reported ambivalence about nature, or even feelings of fear. These results demonstrate substantial depth to students’ understandings of nature and the ways they choose to engage with their surroundings. Encompassing a diversity of perspectives on nature allows us to better engage with youth on environmental matters.
Article
Mindful engagement interventions have been shown to improve psychological benefits of nature experiences but to date there has been little evaluation of their efficacy compared with other forms of engagement. An online experimental study was conducted to compare different forms of engagement with nature. Before and after a 20-minute outdoor experience, participants (n = 215) completed surveys on state-mindfulness, connection with nature, and mood, and then the Sustained Attention to Response Task (SART). Participants were randomly allocated to one of four engagement intervention groups: mindful engagement, directed engagement, mind wandering, and an unguided control group. The groups did not differ on connection with nature or positive affect after the nature experience, when accounting for the baseline measures, however the mind wandering group reported significantly lower negative affect than the directed engagement group. Overall, SART outcomes indicated that the unguided control group had the greatest level of attention restoration, suggesting that all three engagement interventions taxed the attention system. Mediation analyses indicated that there was an indirect effect of state mindfulness on the psychological outcomes, primarily for the mindful engagement group when contrasted with the unguided control. The findings challenge the idea that all forms of heightened engagement enhance the experience of nature and resulting psychological outcomes. We use these findings to outline considerations in designing and applying engagement interventions in nature for specific outcomes.
Article
Exposure to nature is associated with various mental health benefits. Nature connectedness (NC), a psychological construct that measures individuals’ subjective sense of connection to nature, is found to influence the relationship between nature exposure and mental health, including well-being and ill-being. However, studies from non-Western cultures have only examined either nature exposure and mental health or NC and mental health, with little research investigating the relationship among all three in a single study. Based on a face-to-face survey in Guangzhou (N = 863), this study investigates the relationship among nature exposure (greenspace visitation frequency, duration, and greenspace accessibility), NC, and mental well-being and ill-being. Based on the results, NC is stronger than nature exposure in predicting mental well-being, while greenspace visitation frequency and duration are stronger than NC in predicting ill-being. Having a higher-than-average NC is associated with a 7% increase in feelings of worthwhileness, a 6.4% increase in life satisfaction, and a 2.5% decrease in depression risk. NC could function as both mediator and moderator, depending on the specific nature exposure–mental health link examined. Future studies are required to understand the complex interaction of nature exposure, NC, and mental health. Our study indicates that a shift in policymaking to enhance NC is recommended to achieve the related psychological benefits. To this end, research on the influencing factors of NC (e.g., characteristics of nature experiences) and effective interventions to cultivate NC are required.
Article
While research has examined factors that account for pro‐environmental behaviours relating to climate warming through carbon and resource use, very few studies have investigated factors that account for behaviour that directly supports conservation of habitats and biodiversity. In particular, there remain questions as to whether nature connectedness relates to an individual’s aesthetic or spiritual relationship with the objective world, or their philosophy of consciousness and selfhood. Consequently, the purposes of this study were to examine (i) the relationship between nature connectedness, engagement with nature’s beauty, nonattachment and implicit theory of mind, and (ii) how each of these variables predict pro-nature conservation behaviour. A cross-sectional cohort study utilising a correlational design recruited 203 male and female English-speaking adults. Participants completed a battery of online psychometric tests that assessed each of the aforementioned variables. The data were examined using bivariate correlations and multiple regression analysis. Significant correlations were found between all pairs of variables. Furthermore, nonattachment and nature connectedness were found to be significant predictors of pro-nature conservation behaviour, while engagement with nature’s beauty was of borderline significance and implicit theory of mind was non-significant. Findings provide insight into the mechanisms underlying specific psychological and philosophical outlooks that may facilitate or impair a person’s inclination to actively participate in pro-nature conservation behaviours. In particular, findings suggest that practices or interventions which foster nonattachment in addition to nature connectedness may have a role in the development of effective programmes to aid nature’s recovery.
Article
Full-text available
Exposure to natural environments has been shown to be associated with more positive body image, but much of the existing research is limited to Western European nations and little is known about the robustness of these associations in other national contexts. In this protocol paper, we present a conceptual model of the direct and indirect associations (i.e., via self-compassion, connectedness to nature, and restorative experiences in nature) between nature exposure and body appreciation. This model brings together conceptualisations from existing research, but also extends it in a number of important ways. The model will be tested through the Body Image in Nature Survey (BINS), a researcher-crowdsourced project involving researchers in multiple nations worldwide. Data collection began in December 2020 and is expected to be completed in February 2022. Data will be analysed to examine the extent to which our conceptual model is robust across nations, as well as other sociodemographic characteristics. We will also determine the extent to which key variables included in our survey are invariant across nations and associated with cultural, socioeconomic, and gender-related factors. The BINS will likely have important implications for the development of nature-based interventions to promote healthier body appreciation in diverse national contexts.
Article
This paper uses ethnography to explore young people’s engagement with a UK based intervention designed to promote a meaningful connection to locally accessible urban nature. During the intervention seven young people (aged between 11 and 12 years old) from a socially disadvantaged area, took part in three two-hour sessions held in a patch of urban nature close to their school. During the sessions, facilitators and teachers worked collaboratively with the young people as they explored the space and took part in den building activities. All sessions were recorded using audio and video equipment and a case study approach was utilised to explore the experiences of two young people involved in the project as they worked with practitioners and each other to develop a meaningful connection to the space. Analysis highlights the importance of youth centred interventions which use practical activities to develop a sense of belonging and wellbeing. These issues are discussed in relation to traditional nature engagement interventions and recommendations for practitioners are put forward.
Article
Full-text available
Objective: The Mental Health Continuum – Short Form is a brief scale measuring positive human functioning. The study aimed to examine the factor structure and to explore the cross cultural utility of the MHC-SF using bifactor models and exploratory structural equation modelling (ESEM). Method: Using multigroup confirmatory analysis (MGCFA) we examined the measurement invariance of the MHC-SF in 38 countries (university students, N = 8,066; 61.73% women, mean age 21.55 years). Results: MGCFA supported the cross-cultural replicability of a bifactor structure and a metric level of invariance between student samples. The average proportion of variance explained by the general factor was high (ECV = .66), suggesting that the three aspects of mental health (emotional, social, and psychological well-being) can be treated as a single dimension of well-being. Conclusion: The metric level of invariance offers the possibility of comparing correlates and predictors of positive mental functioning across countries; however, the comparison of the levels of mental health across countries is not possible due to lack of scalar invariance. Our study has preliminary character and could serve as an initial assessment of the structure of the MHC-SF across different cultural settings. Further studies on general populations are required for extending our findings.
Article
Full-text available
In recent years, a " second wave " of positive psychology has been emerging, characterised, above all, by an awareness and appreciation of the dialectical nature of flourishing. This paper offers a philosophical foundation for this second wave, based on Eastern philosophy, and, in particular, Zen aesthetics. Part one introduces Zen, including its key philosophical ideas and practices, as well as two antecedent traditions that helped to form it, namely, Buddhism and Taoism. Part two then elucidates three aesthetic principles that are integral to Zen: mono no aware (pathos of life), wabi-sabi (desolate beauty), and yūgen (profound grace). The paper discusses how these principles could be of value to positive psychology in fostering dialectical understanding and appreciation, thus highlighting future directions for the field.
Article
Full-text available
We examined the effects of a two-week nature-based well-being intervention. Undergraduates (N = 395) were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: nature, human-built, or a business-as-usual control. Participants paid attention to how nature (or human-built objects, depending on assignment) in their everyday surroundings made them feel, photographed the objects/scenes that evoked emotion in them, and provided a description of emotions evoked. Post-intervention levels of net-positive affect, elevating experiences, a general sense of connectedness (to other people, to nature, and to life as a whole), and prosocial orientation were significantly higher in the nature group compared to the human-built and control groups. Trait levels of nature connectedness and engagement with beauty did not moderate nature's beneficial impact on well-being. Qualitative findings revealed significant differences in the emotional themes evoked by nature versus human-built objects/scenes. This research provides important empirical support for nature involvement as an effective positive psychology intervention. http://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/5JyhpG6SPXNgGj5CuMkH/full
Article
Full-text available
Although much attention has been paid to culture-specific psychopathologies, there have been no comparable attempts to chart positive mental states that may be particular to certain cultures. This paper outlines the beginnings of a positive cross-cultural lexicography of ‘untranslatable’ words pertaining to well-being, culled from across the world’s languages. A quasi-systematic search uncovered 216 such terms. Using grounded theory, these words were organised into three categories: feelings (comprising positive and complex feelings); relationships (comprising intimacy and pro-sociality) and character (comprising personal resources and spirituality). The paper has two main aims. First, it aims to provide a window onto cultural differences in constructions of well-being, thereby enriching our understanding of well-being. Second, a more ambitious aim is that this lexicon may help expand the emotional vocabulary of English speakers (and indeed speakers of all languages), and consequently enrich their experiences of well-being. The paper concludes by setting out a research agenda to pursue these aims further.
Chapter
Full-text available
Terror management theory posits that human awareness of the inevitability of death exerts a profound influence on diverse aspects of human thought, emotion, motivation, and behavior. People manage the potential for anxiety that results from this awareness by maintaining: (1) faith in the absolute validity of their cultural worldviews and (2) self-esteem by living up to the standards of value that are part of their worldviews. In this chapter, we take stock of the past 30 years of research and conceptual development inspired by this theory. After a brief review of evidence supporting the theory's fundamental propositions, we discuss extensions of the theory to shed light on: (1) the psychological mechanisms through which thoughts of death affect subsequent thought and behavior; (2) how the anxiety-buffering systems develop over childhood and beyond; (3) how awareness of death influenced the evolution of mind, culture, morality, and religion; (4) how death concerns lead people to distance from their physical bodies and seek solace in concepts of mind and spirit; and (5) the role of death concerns in maladaptive and pathological behavior. We also consider various criticisms of the theory and alternative conceptualizations that have been proposed. We conclude with a discussion of what we view as the most pressing issues for further research and theory development that have been inspired by the theory's first 30 years.
Article
Full-text available
In the field of environmental psychology, there is rapidly growing interest in the concept of connectivity with nature, describing an individual's sense of being connected with nature. The author developed a new scale for assessing feelings toward nature, including connectedness. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated a five-factor model consisting of restorativeness, oneness, mystery, care, and aversion. Then, the relationships among availability of nature in respondents' neighborhood, age, and each subscale score of the Feelings toward Nature Scale were analyzed using structural equation modeling. The availability of nature in neighborhoods was assessed using a geographic information system and respondents' subjective evaluations. Results indicate that overall connectedness to nature is weaker as availability of nature decreases, as assessed by subjective evaluation. Results also suggest that aversion toward nature in younger people is relatively stronger than in older generations.
Article
Full-text available
From the increasing number of people living in urban areas to the continued degradation of the natural environment, many of us appear to be physically and psychologically disconnected from nature. We consider the theoretical explanations and present evidence for why this state of affairs might result in suboptimal levels of hedonic and eudaimonic wellbeing by reviewing the large body of research on the mental health benefits of connecting with nature. The advantages of nature contact as a potential wellbeing intervention are discussed, along with examples of how this research is being applied to reconnect individuals to nature and improve wellbeing. We conclude by considering the limitations and proposing future directions for research in this area. Overall, evidence suggests that connecting with nature is one path to flourishing in life.
Article
Full-text available
In an action research experimental design, the experimental group participated in 10 directed-attention natural beauty walks, a control group took 10 walks without directed attention to natural beauty, and a comparison group simply completed pre- and posttest measures. The goal of the study was to determine if the directed-attention beauty walks would cause (a) an increase in noticing and paying attention to natural beauty, (b) an increase in levels of the trait of engagement with natural beauty, and (c) a lessening of depressive and anxiety symptoms. Results indicated (a) but no change in (b) or (c). Four weeks after the intervention ended, the experimental group members reported noticing significantly more natural beauty in their lives than did the members of the control or comparison groups. Conclusion: Directed-attention beauty walks caused an increase in noticing natural beauty, but the intervention was too short, or not intensive enough, to influence the trait of engagement with natural beauty or depressive and anxiety symptoms. Key Words: Natural beauty—Trait—Appreciation—Engagement—Action research.
Article
Full-text available
The scientific study of well-being has been strongly influenced by ideas from a number of related fields, including different areas of psychology. Two major philosophical traditions—hedonia and eudaimonia—underscore much of our current understanding of well-being, and are reflected across early and contemporary psychological theories of well-being. These traditions help delineate the various conceptualizations of well-being and its components; moreover, these traditions influence which research questions are asked, and where and how answers are sought. This has resulted in a plethora of categories and terms referring to similar, yet distinct, concepts such as: well-being, happiness, optimal or positive experiences, life satisfaction, and flourishing. Given the difficulties of distinguishing these concepts, this paper aims to provide clarity by delineating the major orientations in positive psychology. We provide a “road-map” to theories and models of well-being found within positive psychology, thereby providing a starting a point from which an integrative framework of theories and models of well-being can be developed. To that end, also included in this review is a selection of well-being models that lie beyond the traditional frameworks. We conclude with a consideration of several criticisms that have been directed at positive psychology, and provide recommendations for future directions.
Article
Full-text available
Environmental psychology research has demonstrated that exposure to mundane natural environments can be psychologically beneficial, and can, for instance, improve individuals' mood and concentration. However, little research has yet examined the psychological benefits of extraordinary, awe-evoking kinds of nature, such as spectacular mountain scenes or impressive waterfalls. In this study, we aimed to address the underrepresentation of such extraordinary nature in research on human—nature interactions. Specifically, we examined whether watching a picture slideshow of awesome as opposed to mundane nature differentially affected individuals' emotions, mood, social value orientation (SVO), and their willingness to donate something to others. Our analyses revealed that, compared to mundane nature and a neutral condition, watching awesome natural scenes and phenomena had some unique and pronounced emotional effects (e.g., feeling small and humble), triggered the most mood improvement, and led to a more prosocial SVO. We found that participants' willingness to donate did not differ significantly for any of the conditions.
Article
Full-text available
Subjective connection with nature, or nature relatedness, is similar to other environmental worldview measures in predicting sustainable attitudes and behaviors, yet is unique in predicting happiness. In two studies, the authors assessed the overlap between nature relatedness and other subjective connections (e.g., with friends or country) and examined these connections as a possible confound in explaining the link between nature relatedness and happiness. Study 1 adapted a measure of general connectedness and administered it to student (n = 331) and community (n = 415) samples along with multiple nature relatedness and happiness indicators. Study 2 examined more established measures of subjective connections in another community sample (n = 204). General connectedness predicted happiness well, yet nature relatedness remained a significant distinct predictor of many happiness indicators, even after controlling for other connections. Results support the notion that nature relatedness could be a path to human happiness and environmental sustainability, though confirming this causal direction requires additional research.
Article
Full-text available
Many individuals with coronary heart disease (CHD) experience disease-related anxiety, depressive symptoms, and anger. Spirituality may be helpful to cope with these negative emotions. Research findings on the role of spirituality in dealing with negative emotions are inconsistent. In this study, we examined the associations between 7 dimensions of spirituality (ie, meaningfulness, trust, acceptance, caring for others, connectedness with nature, transcendent experiences, and spiritual activities) and negative emotions among individuals with CHD in Indonesia, controlling for perceived social support as well as demographic and clinical characteristics. In total, 293 individuals with CHD were recruited from the 3 largest hospitals in Bandung, Indonesia. They completed the Spiritual Attitude and Involvement List, the Beck Depression Inventory-II, the Trait Anxiety Scale of the State Trait Anxiety Inventory, the Multidimensional Anger Inventory, and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. Hierarchical linear regression analyses indicated that a higher overall level of spirituality was associated with lower levels of depressive symptoms, less anxiety, and less anger. Specifically, a higher level of trust was significantly associated with both less depressive symptoms and less anxiety. Higher levels of caring for others and spiritual activities were associated with less anxiety, and a higher level of connectedness with nature was associated with less anger. These findings underscore the importance of specific dimensions of spirituality as a potentially independent buffer against negative emotions in individuals with CHD.
Article
Full-text available
Research suggests that contact with nature can be beneficial, for example leading to improvements in mood, cognition, and health. A distinct but related idea is the personality construct of subjective nature connectedness, a stable individual difference in cognitive, affective, and experiential connection with the natural environment. Subjective nature connectedness is a strong predictor of pro-environmental attitudes and behaviors that may also be positively associated with subjective well-being. This meta-analysis was conducted to examine the relationship between nature connectedness and happiness. Based on 30 samples (n = 8523), a fixed-effect meta-analysis found a small but significant effect size (r = 0.19). Those who are more connected to nature tended to experience more positive affect, vitality, and life satisfaction compared to those less connected to nature. Publication status, year, average age, and percentage of females in the sample were not significant moderators. Vitality had the strongest relationship with nature connectedness (r = 0.24), followed by positive affect (r = 0.22) and life satisfaction (r = 0.17). In terms of specific nature connectedness measures, associations were the strongest between happiness and inclusion of nature in self (r = 0.27), compared to nature relatedness (r = 0.18) and connectedness to nature (r = 0.18). This research highlights the importance of considering personality when examining the psychological benefits of nature. The results suggest that closer human-nature relationships do not have to come at the expense of happiness. Rather, this meta-analysis shows that being connected to nature and feeling happy are, in fact, connected.
Article
Full-text available
Numerous scholars have explored the notion that our relationship is essential to our well-being, and some have suggested that we have an evolved inclination to affiliate with nature. A substantial body of research supports these hypotheses, and demonstrates both the restorative and additive capacity of affiliating with nature. This paper posits that experiences with the natural environment play a fundamentally important role in addressing the six existential anxieties of identity, happiness, isolation, meaning in life, freedom, and death--a perspective that we call Eco-Existential Positive Psychology. Moreover, we propose that affiliating with nature affords us the opportunity to be fully flourishing human beings. This paper provides supporting evidence for Eco-Existential Positive Psychology via an interdisciplinary literature review. Access the full text article: http://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/MQpI9pCkExIMxNME39cn/full
Article
Full-text available
Aristotle considered moral beauty to be the telos of the human virtues. Displays of moral beauty have been shown to elicit the moral emotion of elevation and cause a desire to become a better person and to engage in prosocial behavior. Study 1 (N = 5380) shows engagement with moral beauty is related to several psychological constructs relevant to moral education, and structural models reveal that the story of engagement with moral beauty may be considered a story of love and connectedness; it is uniquely predictive of caring for, being empathic of, loving, and valuing benevolence toward others. Study 2 (N = 542) demonstrates that the personality trait of engaging with moral beauty moderates sus-ceptibility to elevation. These studies suggest that encouraging students to engage with moral beauty might increase their desire to become better persons and to do good. Conver-gent with other research showing that moral emotions motivate moral behavior, we suggest that moral education programs increase their focus on developing engagement with moral beauty. Who engages with moral beauty? Aristotle viewed human virtues as beautiful, and some have argued that 'an educa-tion in beauty can be a training in the love of virtue' (Iris Murdoch, as cited in Winston, 2006, p. 285). Sachs (2002) noted that to kalon, which means 'the beau-tiful,' has mistakenly been translated as 'noble' in most translations of Aristotle's Nichomachean Ethics. Sachs adds that 'the beautiful,' as described by Aristotle, is not simply an object for philosophic contemplation, but is the source of moral action. A person of good character——one who puts the moral virtues into action——can see the truly beautiful in themselves and others, and knows that the beautiful is the end or highest good of human behavior. We term the kind of
Article
Full-text available
Interest in eudaimonia (e.g., growth, meaning, authenticity, excellence) and its distinction from hedonia (e.g., pleasure, enjoyment, comfort, absence of distress) is growing rapidly, as researchers recognize that both concepts are central to the study of well-being. Yet research on these concepts faces challenges as well: findings based on different operationalizations can be quite discrepant; definitions of eudaimonia and hedonia sometimes fall into different categories of analysis (e.g. when eudaimonia is described as a way of functioning, hedonia as an experience); and the terms eudaimonia and hedonia are sometimes defined vaguely or applied to concepts that may be mere correlates. To aid in addressing these challenges, we propose the following terminology and classification for discussing conceptual and operational definitions: (1) degree of centrality – differentiating concepts that are core (i.e., definitional), close-to-core (i.e., given some attention but not central), and major correlates; (2) category of analysis– identifying which of the following categories a definition represents: (a) orientations (orientations, values, motives, and goals), (b) behaviors (behavioral content, activity characteristics), (c) experiences (subjective experiences, emotions, cognitive appraisals), (d) functioning (indices of positive psychological functioning, mental health, flourishing); and (3) level of measurement – identifying whether a definition is used for trait and/or state comparisons. The work of scholars with a program of research on eudaimonia or the distinction between eudaimonia and hedonia is reviewed and discussed within the framework of the proposed classification; several points of convergence and divergence across definitions are highlighted; and important questions and directions for future research are identified.
Article
Full-text available
Ecosystems provide many of the material building blocks for human well-being. Although quantification and appreciation of such contributions have rapidly grown, our dependence upon cultural connections to nature deserves more attention. We synthesize multidisciplinary peer-reviewed research on contributions of nature or ecosystems to human well-being mediated through nontangible connections (such as culture). We characterize these connections on the basis of the channels through which such connections arise (i.e., knowing, perceiving, interacting with, and living within) and the components of human well-being they affect (e.g., physical, mental and spiritual health, inspiration, identity). We found enormous variation in the methods used, quantity of research, and generalizability of the literature. The effects of nature on mental and physical health have been rigorously demonstrated, whereas other effects (e.g., on learning) are theorized but seldom demonstrated. The balance of evidence indicates conclusively that knowing and experiencing nature makes us generally happier, healthier people. More fully characterizing our intangible connections with nature will help shape decisions that benefit people and the ecosystems on which we depend.
Article
From the increasing number of people living in urban areas to the continued degradation of the natural environment, many of us appear to be physically and psychologically disconnected from nature. We consider the theoretical explanations and present evidence for why this state of affairs might result in suboptimal levels of hedonic and eudaimonic wellbeing by reviewing the large body of research on the mental health benefits of connecting with nature. The advantages of contact with nature as a potential wellbeing intervention are discussed, and examples of how this research is being applied to reconnect individuals to nature and improve wellbeing are given. We conclude by considering the limitations of, and proposing future directions for, research in this area. Overall, evidence suggests that connecting with nature is one path to flourishing in life.
Article
Prior studies have consistently shown that ostracism promotes aggression. The present research investigated the role of nature in reducing aggressive responses following ostracism. Three studies provided converging support to the prediction that nature exposure can weaken the relationship between ostracism and aggression. Compared with ostracized participants who viewed nature pictures, ostracized participants who viewed urban pictures indicated a higher willingness to assign a longer and colder exposure of painful chilled water to another person (Study 1), reported elevated aggressive urges in hypothetical situations (Study 2), and showed a higher intention to assign a spicier and larger amount of hot sauce to a person who hated spicy food (Study 3). Taken together, these findings highlight the importance of nature in influencing aggressive responses following ostracism. Implications are discussed.
Article
In this chapter, it is argued that meaning in life is an important variable for human well-being. Literature supporting this contention is reviewed, and complexities regarding defining meaning in life are discussed. Definitions of meaning have focused on several components, two of which appear central and unique to meaning in life, suggesting a conceptual framework of meaning in life comprised of two pillars: comprehension and purpose. Comprehension encompasses people's ability to find patterns, consistency, and significance in the many events and experiences in their lives, and their synthesis and distillation of the most salient, important, and motivating factors. People face the challenge of understanding their selves, the world around them, and their unique niche and interactions within the world, and the notion of comprehension unifies these domains of understanding. Purpose refers to highly motivating, long-term goals about which people are passionate and highly committed. In the framework presented in this chapter, it is suggested that people devote significant resources to the pursuit of their purposes and that the most effective and rewarding purposes arise from and are congruent with people's comprehension of their lives. Literature is reviewed regarding where meaning might come from, and other dimensions of meaning are considered (i.e., sources of meaning and search for meaning). Suggestions for future research are proposed.
Article
Ecopsychological theory and practice underscore the vital importance of realizing the interdependence between human beings and the diverse living universes that they inhabit. This article focuses on the mental health implications of the shift toward a more ecologically rooted identity by examining relationships between psychological well-being and the personal experience of connection with nature. Three separate surveys conducted with undergraduate and community samples assessed relationships between the Connectedness to Nature Scale (CNS), psychological well-being, mindfulness, and outdoor recreation. Higher CNS scores were consistently associated with greater trait mindfulness, more participation in appreciative outdoor activities, and higher scores on multiple measures of both hedonic and eudaimonic aspects of psychological well-being. Discussion focuses on informing optimal strategies for nature-based interventions.
Article
It has been over 25 years since E. O. Wilson (Biophilia. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA, 1984) wrote Biophilia, in which he argued for an evolved inclination among humans to affiliate with nature. Psychologists have examined both restorative and additive effects of nature-related experiences on health and well-being. We review correlational and experimental studies showing associations between nature affiliation (or nature immersion) and positive markers of mental health. The research evidence converges on the conclusion that nature involvement is good for us. We discuss future lines of research concerning mediators and moderators of the relationship between nature and well-being, the role of technologically mediated nature experiences, and the development of nature-related interventions aimed at boosting well-being. © 2013 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht. All rights reserved.
Article
Three experiments tested whether ostracism increases ecological behaviors through increased desires to connect to nature. Compared with non-ostracized participants, ostracized participants reported higher desires to connect to nature (Experiments 1 and 3) and were more willing to behave ecologically (Experiments 2 and 3). Furthermore, increased desires to connect to nature mediated the effect of ostracism on ecological inclinations (Experiment 3). Together, these findings suggest that people try to cope with the pain of ostracism by connecting to the natural environment and behaving ecologically. They also highlight the significance of desires for nature connectedness in explaining why ostracism increases ecological behavior. Implications are discussed.
Article
The proposal of five dimensions of social well-being, social integration, social contribution, social coherence, social actualization, and social acceptance, is theoretically substantiated. The theoretical structure, constructure, construct validity, and the social structural sources of the dimensions of social well-being are investigated in two studies. Item and confirmatory factor analyses in both studies corroborate the theoretical model of social well-being. The new scales correlate convergently with measures of anomie, generativity, perceived social constraints, community involvement and neighborhood quality. The new scales correlate discriminantly with measures of dysphoria, global well-being, physical health and optimism. Multivariate analyses in both studies substantiate the claim that social well-being is an achievement, facilitated by educational attainment and age. The state and direction of the study of adult functioning are discussed.
Article
A growing body of empirical research suggests that brief contact with natural environments improves emotional well-being. The current study synthesizes this body of research using meta-analytic techniques and assesses the mean effect size of exposure to natural environments on both positive and negative affect. Thirty-two studies with a total of 2356 participants were included. Across these studies, exposure to natural environments was associated with a moderate increase in positive affect and a smaller, yet consistent, decrease in negative affect relative to comparison conditions. Significant heterogeneity was found for the effect of nature on positive affect, and type of emotion assessment, type of exposure to nature, location of study, and mean age of sample were found to moderate this effect. The implications of these findings for existing theory and research are discussed, with particular emphasis placed on potential avenues for fruitful future research examining the effects of nature on well-being.
Article
This study investigated the relationship between anxiety and feelings of being connected to nature. Two standardised self-report scales, the Nature Relatedness Scale and the State Trait Inventory for Cognitive and Somatic Anxiety, were used in tandem with a qualitative question. Quantitative results indicated that connection to nature was significantly related to lower levels of overall, state cognitive and trait cognitive anxiety. Qualitative results revealed seven themes: relaxation, time out, enjoyment, connection, expanse, sensory engagement and a healthy perspective. Taken together, these results suggest that opportunities that enhance experiences of being connected to nature may reduce unhelpful anxiety.
Article
Awe has been defined as an emotional response to perceptually vast stimuli that overwhelm current mental structures, yet facilitate attempts at accommodation. Four studies are presented showing the information-focused nature of awe elicitors, documenting the self-diminishing effects of awe experience, and exploring the effects of awe on the content of the self-concept. Study 1 documented the information-focused, asocial nature of awe elicitors in participant narratives. Study 2 contrasted the stimulus-focused, self-diminishing nature of appraisals and feelings associated with a prototypical awe experience with the self-focused appraisals and feelings associated with pride. Study 3 found that dispositional awe-proneness, but not dispositional joy or pride, was associated with low Need for Cognitive Closure, and also documented a relationship between dispositional awe and increased emphasis on membership in "universal" categories in participants' self-concepts. Study 4 replicated the self-concept finding from Study 3 using experimentally elicited awe. Implications for future work on awe are discussed.
Article
Past studies have documented interpersonal benefits of natural environments. Across four studies, we tested the hypothesis that exposure to more beautiful nature, relative to less beautiful nature, increases prosocial behavior. Study 1 yielded correlational evidence indicating that participants prone to perceiving natural beauty reported greater prosocial tendencies, as measured by agreeableness, perspective taking, and empathy. In Studies 2 and 3, exposure to more beautiful images of nature (versus less beautiful images of nature) led participants to be more generous and trusting. In Study 4, exposure to more beautiful (versus less beautiful) plants in the laboratory room led participants to exhibit increased helping behavior. Across studies, we provide evidence that positive emotions and tendencies to perceive natural beauty mediate and moderate the association between beauty and prosociality. The current studies extend past research by demonstrating the unique prosocial benefits of beautiful nature.
Article