Hinds, J. & P. Sparksa, 2007, Engaging with the natural environment: the role of affective connection and identity., in: Journal of Environmental Psychology, 27, 3
- Author : Hinds, J. & P. Sparksa
- Year : 2007
- Title English : Engaging with the natural environment: the role of affective connection and identity.
- Journal/Series : Journal of Environmental Psychology
- Volume Number (ANNUAL: Counting Volumes of the Year shown above) : 3
- Volume Number (CONSECUTIVE: Counting all Volumes of this Journal ever published) : 27
- Abstract in English : From the research literature it appears that experience of the natural environment may elicit positive environmental attitudes and behaviours, as well as facilitating positive psychological well-being. Therefore, identifying the antecedents of intentions to engage with the natural environment may be seen as a useful contribution to the literature. It would also appear that environmental identity and affective connection combined with key TPB variables may be important predictors of intentions to engage with the natural environment. On the basis of the above considerations, the present research focussed on three key hypotheses. First, we expected that a sense of affective connection with the natural environment would be found to be a significant independent predictor of participants’ intentions to engage with the natural environment (because such affective experience is not well represented within standard TPB variables). Second, and for similar reasons, we expected that environmental identity would also be found to be a significant independent predictor of participants’ intentions. Finally, we expected that participants from rural backgrounds, because of their potential greater exposure to the natural environment, would be distinguished from urban participants by having significantly more positive ratings for behavioural intentions, attitudes, subjective norm, PBC, identification, and affective connection. The present findings concur with natural-environment focused research regarding the importance of the inclusion of measures of affect (Kals & Maes, 2002; Kals et al., 1999; Pooley & O’Conner, 2000). Although Kals et al. (1999) suggest that past and present experience of the natural environment predicts positive emotional affinity with it, in the present study, this observation is extended by indicating that the more one has an affective connection with the natural environment, the greater one's intentions to engage with it. Therefore, the present findings support Kals and Maes (2002) and Kals and colleagues’ (1999) work regarding the importance of affective connection in natural-environment issues. The present findings are also congruent with the research literature that addresses the importance of the development of meaningful bonds with the natural environment during childhood (Bunting & Cousins, 1985; Chawla, 2002; Horwitz, 1996; Kellert, 2002). The hypothesis that participants from a rural childhood would differ significantly from urban participants in terms of the research variables was clearly supported. Participants from rural childhoods reported more positive affective connections, stronger identification, stronger behavioural intentions, more positive attitudes, more acceptable subjective norm, and greater PBC about engaging with the natural environment than did participants with urban childhoods. Thus, the findings also support both the Kals et al. (1999) argument that past experience of the natural environment has an important role to play in the formation of positive affective relationships with it and more theoretical work on the role of direct and repeated exposure to an attitude object and affect.