Nature's path to thinking about others and the surrounding environment

• Published in: Journal of environmental psychology 2023-08, Vol.89, p.102046, Article 102046
• Main Authors: Schertz, Kathryn E., Kotabe, Hiroki P., Meidenbauer, Kimberly L., Layden, Elliot A., Zhen, Jenny, Bowman, Jillian E., Lakhtakia, Tanvi, Lyu, Muxuan, Paraschos, Olivia A., Janey, Elizabeth A., Samtani, Anya L., Stier, Andrew J., Gehrke, Kathryn, Van Hedger, Stephen C., Vohs, Kathleen D., Berman, Marc G.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Experience sampling; Natural environments; Public spaces; Social orientation
• ISSN: 0272-4944
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvp.2023.102046

Research has shown differences in pro-social and pro-environmental attitudes after exposure to different physical environments. It is unclear whether these perspective shifts are associated with changes in conscious thoughts and feelings about other people and the environment. In Study 1, we used a within-subject experiment to measure social and environmental thought content throughout 1-h environmental explorations of a nature conservatory and an indoor mall. At three survey time points, participants (N = 86, undergraduates and community members) reported whom they were thinking about and how connected they felt to the physical and social environment. Using Bayesian multi-level models, we found that while visiting the conservatory, participants were less likely to think about themselves, felt closer to people nearby and around the world, and felt higher connectedness to their social and physical environment. In Study 2, we used a correlational design to investigate the association between perceived naturalness of city parks and feelings of connection to nearby others and the physical environment while visiting. Participants (N = 303, Chicago residents) reported feeling higher levels of connection to nearby people and the physical environment when they were visiting city parks rated as more natural. These studies further our understanding of the ways in which natural environments influence conscious thoughts and feelings about the social and physical environment. •First, we compared the types of thoughts participants had in visits to two public spaces.•Self-related thoughts were less likely in a nature conservatory compared to a mall.•Participants felt closer to people nearby and around the world in the conservatory.•Second, we examined how feelings of connection scaled with naturalness of parks.•More social and environment connection occurred in more natural parks.