The term “environmental psychology” might be a bit ambiguous or confusing to you; if it is, you’re certainly not alone. Show
It’s not a very large field yet, but it has the potential to be one of the most impactful ones yet regarding the future of being human. If your interest is piqued, you might be wondering how to answer questions like: What does “environmental psychology” mean? What does it do for us? How can it be applied? If these questions are engaging your curiosity, you’ve come to the right place. Keep reading to learn more about this fascinating field. Before you read on, we thought you might like to download our 3 Positive Psychology Exercises for free. These science-based exercises will explore fundamental aspects of positive psychology including strengths, values and self-compassion and will give you the tools to enhance the wellbeing of your clients, students or employees. This Article Contains:
What is the Definition of Environmental Psychology?According to the Journal of Environmental Psychology, the field can be defined as:
In other words, environmental psychology is all about the interplay between people and their environment. As a field, it seeks to understand how and why our environment impacts us, how we can leverage that knowledge to our advantage, and what we can do to improve our relationship with the world around us. An Introduction and Brief History of Environmental PsychologyEnvironmental psychology is a subfield of psychology that, as the definition above suggests, deals with how people interact and engage with their surroundings. Its roots reach far back, but as an established field it is relatively young (Spencer & Gee, 2009). You could say it started all the way back in the late 1200s. As experts Christopher Spencer and Kate Gee explain:
(2009) This initial experiment got at the question that lies at the heart of environmental psychology: how does our environment affect us? This question is what led to the establishment of environmental psychology as its own subfield of psychology. A group of social psychologists was tasked with determining which room layouts were most beneficial for hospital patients and which could result in adverse effects. These psychologists realized that they didn’t really know how to answer that question, and they decided that a new area of inquiry was required to explore the topic. Although the first question is usually the most salient for curious individuals, the second question environmental psychology asks is also an important one: how do we affect our environment? That question is becoming more pressing as the problem of climate change becomes more pressing. It has also led to greater consideration of attitudes toward the environment and the natural world (Spencer & Gee, 2009). What are the Topics and Scope Explored in Environmental Psychology?So, given what we know about environmental psychology, what kinds of topics do environmental psychologists actually study? The Journal of Environmental Psychology lists the following topics as popular areas within the field:
This is by no means an exhaustive list, but it provides a great outline of the topics you would likely encounter in reading up on environmental psychology. Concepts and Theories in Environmental PsychologyEnvironmental psychology is littered with theories about how and why we act the way we do in our environment, but they tend to fall into one of a few main perspectives:
Geographical determinism is the idea that the foundation and lifespan of entire civilizations are dependent on environmental factors, like topography, climate, vegetation, and the availability of water. Theorists in this perspective believe that too great of an environmental challenge leads to the destruction of civilizations while not enough challenge can result in a stagnation of culture. Further, these environmental factors can have a huge impact on what we value as a society and how we live and work together. The ecological biology perspective is grounded in theories of biological and sociological interdependence between organisms and their environment. From this point of view, organisms are viewed as integral parts of their environment rather than as separate entities. This opens the door for the study of interdependencies between the two and throughout the entire system. Behaviorists brought an emphasis on context to the conversation, insisting that both environmental context and personal context (e.g., personality, dispositions, attitudes, views, experience) are vital determinants of behavior. Although behaviorism generally fell out of style as the leading perspective in psychology, its improved focus on contextual factors lived on. Finally, Gestalt psychology was the other side of behaviorism’s coin; while behaviorists often considered behavior and nothing but behavior, Gestalt thinkers were more prone to considering perception and cognition. Instead of seeing environmental stimuli as 100% objective factors, the focus was on how people perceived and thought about these stimuli (Virtual University of Pakistan, n.d.). To get a little more in-depth, we can dive into a few of environmental psychology’s more specific theories. Here are a few of those that can help you get a handle on the field, as broad as it is. Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB)This theory states that people choose the option(s) with the highest benefits (positive outcomes) and the lowest costs (e.g., energy, time, money) and that the behavior we engage in is a direct result of our intentions. Our intentions are determined by our attitudes towards the behavior, social norms about the behavior, and beliefs about whether and how much we are able to control our behavior. The TPB has successfully explained lots of interesting environmental behavior, like the choice of mode of travel (e.g., car, plane, train, bicycle), household recycling and composting, use of water, consumption of meat, and other, general pro-environmental behavior (Gifford, Steg, & Reser, 2011). Norm-Activation Model (NAM)This model was developed to explain altruistic and environmentally friendly behavior; it posits that one’s own personal norms are more important than social norms in determining how we choose our behavior (Liu, Sheng, Mundorf, Redding, & Ye, 2017). Value-Belief-Norm Theory (VBN)Similar to the NAM, the Value-Belief-Norm Theory assumes that people act in a pro-environment way when they feel morally obligated to do so. This moral obligation can come from within (based on one’s own morals), from external sources (social norms and the morals of others), or from both (Gifford, Steg, & Reser, 2011). In addition to these theories, there are six frequently discussed concepts in the field: attention, perception and cognitive maps, ideal environments, environmental stress and managing, involvement, and protective behavior. These so-called “continual elements” are central in the exploration of how our environment affects us and vice versa. AttentionAttention is the first step of any interaction with the environment; it determines how we notice, perceive, and observe our environment. There are two main kinds of stimuli: those that demand our attention (highly engaging or even distracting stimuli) and those that we willingly or even eagerly direct our attention towards. Perception and Cognitive MapsHow we perceive the world around us is eventually organized and stored in our minds in what is called “cognitive maps.” Cognitive maps are spatial networks that connect our experiences with our current perceptions, helping us to recognize and understand the world around us and allowing us to navigate it effectively. Ideal EnvironmentsIdeal environments are places where people “feel self-assured and competent, where they can familiarize themselves with the environment whilst also being engaged with it” (Essays, UK, 2013). There are four factors that determine whether an environment is ideal:
Environmental Stress and ManagingEnvironments can induce stress in people, resulting in consequences like poor health, reduced selflessness, enhanced behavioral and cognitive weaknesses, and a lack of sufficient attention paid to the environment itself. A major benefit of having a private space to live is that we can control incoming stress-inducing stimuli (to a certain extent, anyway). We can also attempt to regulate our environmental-related stress by “managing” it or coming up with ways to understand and make sense of such stimuli and sharing our lessons learned with others. InvolvementInvolvement refers to how much a person participates in their environment, interacting and engaging with their surroundings. It can also refer to their participation in the “design, adjustment, and organization” of the environment (Essays, UK, 2013). Protective BehaviorFinally, protective behavior is the actions we take to safeguard, steward, and appropriately manage our environment. This refers to both natural and built environments, which require different types of protective behavior to effectively maintain. This is the kind of behavior that is necessary for creating an ecologically sustainable society (Essays, UK, 2013). Research and StudiesThe research in this area is truly fascinating; the field is wide in scope and can accommodate lots of far-reaching ideas. To get an idea of the studies that drive environmental psychology, we can take a look at the most cited articles in the journal Frontiers in Psychology environmental psychology section:
These are just a few of the many popular recent articles, but throughout the pieces in this one small sample we have learned that:
7 Examples of Environmental Psychology in PracticeEnvironmental psychologists apply their knowledge in many different ways, including:
A recent application of environmental psychology comes to us from expert researcher Dr. Arline Bronzaft. She has been working with the Department of Environmental Protection of New York City to provide “interactive, multi-disciplinary, STEM lessons tailored to teach elementary, middle and high school students about sound and noise in their neighborhoods.” Her work has influenced the development of New York City’s noise code policy and raised awareness about the adverse effects of noise on humans (Macchi, 2018). Another huge area of application for knowledge gained within the field is that of discovering how we can more effectively influence people and whole societies towards more ecologically and environmentally sustainable behavior (Sörqvist, 2016). So far, we’ve found that using specific kinds of messages and framing things in certain ways are effective in encouraging better environmental behavior, along with promoting environmental responsibility as a social norm and offering educational programs to raise awareness (Sörqvist, 2016). Using Environmental Psychology in Design and ArchitectureAs you might have guessed, environmental psychology has a lot to say about effective design and architecture.Based on the studies we touched on briefly above, we know that places like botanical gardens with lush flora and colorful plants and flowers to view, help people restore their vitality and sense of peace. We also know that actively engaging with an environment is good for us, so designing interactive and engaging environments can boost our attention span. Findings like these barely scratch the surface of how we can apply environmental psychology to design and architecture, but they help form the basis of a broad range of knowledge on the subject. There are studies on every facet of human-environment interaction you can think of, including lighting, space planning, ergonomics, acoustics, branding, interior design, proportions, color scheme, and use of empty space. The use of environmental psychologists in building planning isn’t too commonplace yet, but as the field grows and matures, you’ll see more and more psychologists consulting on the designing of buildings and spaces for a wide variety of purposes. Dak Kopec’s Work on Environmental and Architectural PsychologyPsychologist Dak Kopec has been working on the application of knowledge from environmental psychology to design and architecture for many years. He combined his love for psychology with his graduate degrees in architecture and community psychology and went on to earn his Ph.D. in the field. Since then he’s been working as a professor, author, and consultant, finding new ways to apply the science of environmental and architectural psychology to real, everyday situations with real people. If you search for information about environmental psychology, you’re almost guaranteed to see his name pop up in the first few results, making him a good name to follow if you’re interested in the field. To get a glimpse of his work in this area, check out his publications page here. Graduate, Masters Degree, and PhD ProgramsIf you’re interested in a degree in environmental psychology, you’re in luck! There are several programs out there that might work for you, including programs at the diploma/certificate, associate, bachelor, master, and doctoral degree levels. For advanced higher education opportunities, you have three general options:
To learn more about the opportunities available to you in the study of environmental psychology, check this out. The International Conference of Environmental PsychologyLike most established fields, environmental psychology has its own annual conference. The second International Conference on Environmental Psychology, or ICEP, was held in Norway in November 2018. According to the conference’s host institution, the Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, the aims of the conference were:
Further, the topics presented included:
If you’re interested in learning about what happened during the 2017 Conference on Environmental Psychology, click here. For the latest information about upcoming conferences, visit the official website or take a look at our dedicated article detailing a range of upcoming positive psychology events. Recommended Books on Environmental PsychologyIf you want to learn more about environmental psychology but can’t commit to an entire program or even a two-day conference, not to worry! There are some really informative books you can use to familiarize yourself with the field, including:
A Take-Home MessageI hope you leave this piece with a better understanding of the subfield of environmental psychology. Further, I hope you are reminded to look around you and think about your surroundings more often. You never know what a small change in your environment could do for your mental and emotional state, so why not take a chance and tweak your environment to better suit you? What are your thoughts on environmental psychology? Did we miss anything super important? How would you describe environmental psychology to someone new to the field? Do you have any personal environmental psychology-related tips and tricks? Let us know in the comments section below. Thanks for reading! We hope you enjoyed reading this article. Don’t forget to download our 3 Positive Psychology Exercises for free.
Which modern psychological perspective focuses on how our behavior?The Cognitive Perspective
This approach focuses on how internal thoughts and feelings influence one's behavior. The cognitive approach emphasizes the importance of memory, perception and attention, language, decision-making and problem-solving. This approach often compares the human mind to that of a computer.
Which modern psychological perspective focuses on how our behavior is influenced by the other people in our environment and the communities we belong to?Psychologists use the sociocultural perspective to help understand human behavior. It is often referred to as sociocultural psychology or the sociocultural approach psychology.
What are the modern perspectives of psychology?Here are seven of the major perspectives in modern psychology.. The Psychodynamic Perspective. ... . The Behavioral Perspective. ... . The Cognitive Perspective. ... . The Biological Perspective. ... . The Cross-Cultural Perspective. ... . The Evolutionary Perspective. ... . The Humanistic Perspective.. Which modern psychological perspective focuses on how people reason Remember understand language and solve problems?The Cognitive Perspective The cognitive perspective emphasizes what goes on in people's heads—how people reason, remember, understand language, solve problems, explain experiences, acquire moral standards, and form beliefs.
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