“Now I see the secret of making the best person: it is to grow in the open air and to eat and sleep with the earth” Walt Whitman
This article intends to shed light on how time spent in nature increases the likelihood of viewing one’s self as a part of the natural world and how our relationship with nature profoundly influences our behaviours towards the Earth.
Author: Angelica Paci from Kamaleonte ASD (Italy)
Exposure to the natural environment may facilitate the development of emotional bonds and identification with it, which may in turn lead to positive psychological, physical and social well-being that induce us to act in ways that benefit nature itself. On the contrary a reduced direct contact with nature leads to a cycle of apathy and a lack of concern with the natural environment and the ecological issues.
There is increasing recognition and a growing body of research that shows that such a bond contributes to a person’s identity as well as their tendencies to protect, conserve and care about nature [1]. Expanding our sense of self-identity to include others and the natural world creates an attitude of responsibility and care. There are several ways in which the connection with nature can influence the development of the self. Time spent in natural settings provides a break from the distractions of modern life, promote introspection and self awareness, allowing individuals to reflect on their thoughts, emotions, and underlying motivations. Immersing oneself in nature can help us to gain a broader perspective on our place in the world. When we witness the cycles of life or the vastness of natural landscapes we are invited to a sense of humility and balance, which can counteract our individualistic and self-centred tendencies.
When we encounter the beauty, unpredictability and complexity of nature, we are inspired, creative and more likely to embark in a personal growth. Engaging with nature can challenge us to explore new perspectives, to think out of the box and develop a greater appreciation for the diversity and interconnectedness of all living beings. At times a profound connection with nature can lead to spiritual or transcendent experiences, which can deeply shape our sense of self and our place in the universe. These experiences may foster in us a sense of wonder, awe, and interconnectedness that can contribute to a more holistic and integrated self-concept. When we have a direct experiences of an object, our evaluations of that object tend to be more affectively based than if we only had an indirect experience [2]. Nature continues to influence us through our previous close and enduring evolutionary relationship with it.
Along with one’s personal sense of identity, a strong emotional bond can affect whether or not a person chooses to be physically close to nature. This bond can inspire a feeling of safety when close to nature or distress when separated from it. Both identification and affective connection with the natural environment would contribute significantly to the prediction of people’s intentions to take care of nature and of themselves in and with nature.
The influence of nature on the development of the self is multifaceted, involving cognitive, emotional, and even spiritual dimensions. A connection with nature can play a significant role in shaping the individual’s sense of self and their place in the world, by fostering self-awareness, perspective, emotional well-being, creativity, and transcendent experiences.
A construct that reflects some part of human–nature relations is environmental identity, which is defined by Clayton “like the way in which people form their self-concept; a sense of connection to some parts of the nonhuman natural environment, based on history, emotional attachment, and/or similarity, that affects the way in which we perceive and act towards the world; a belief that the environment is important to us and an important part of who we are.”[3]
Research has found that our connection to nature is much more important than our environmental knowledge in the actions we take to help the environment and wildlife [4]. While people who feel close to nature often know more about it than those who don’t have a close relationship, knowledge and environmental education alone do not lead to nature connection [5]. How we interact with the natural world and feel about it matters more. Experiencing and learning from nature teaches us about the environment as well as ourselves, our values and beliefs, our mental habits and our attitudes.
Through the relationships we have at all levels with nature, we come to understand ourselves and our connections. When we see that a tree grows through different stages, we come to understand that growth and change are key dynamics of life. Through nature we find meanings to our life, as well as we feel part of a greater life process, that is rooted to a past, present, and future ecology of mind and spirit [6]. We feel being part of a greater wholeness.
When we think about how to care for nature, we need to acknowledge that we are nature and that all beings are connected and we are one. This sense of oneness with the natural world is rooted in the collective wisdom of the Indigenous peoples who know that humans are not separate from the rest of nature and don’t have dominion over the natural world. The experience of being connected with all of nature, of belonging to the universe, is the very essence of spirituality [7]. Fritjof Capra states that “spiritual experience is an expression of aliveness of mind and body as a unity. Moreover, this experience of unity transcends not only the separation of mind and body, but also the separation of self and world. The central awareness in these spiritual moments is a profound sense of oneness with all, a sense of belonging to the universe as a whole”. Spirituality relates to our inner experiences and beliefs that give meaning to existence and go beyond the current context. Kamitsis and Francis found that being connected with nature, and having a sense of connection to nature, was linked to both greater spirituality and mental well-being, with spirituality being a possible source of the increased well-being [8].
Contemporary scientific researches support the view that spiritual traditions and scientific evidence are congruent and complementary. Connectedness with nature, which is strongly correlated to environmental identity, can invoke a sense of belonging to the natural world, that in turn can lead to the development of a relationship between us and nature, which further can generate ecological engagement and pro environmental behaviour. Shultz theorized that connectedness with nature and environmental identity are deeply interrelated with elements such as caring, connection, and commitment, where commitment is possible only in the presence of caring and connection [9].
So why should we care for nature? Because healthy nature has economic benefits. Because healthy and accessible natural environments support healthy people.
At a personal and societal level research has shown that people tend to be healthier, happier and more creative, productive, active and engaged in community and civic life when nature is a meaningful part of their lives
References:
1 Schultz P. W. (2002). Inclusion with nature: The psychology of human-nature relations. In: Schmuck P., Schultz W. P. (Eds.), Psychology of sustainable development. Boston, MA: Springer.
2 Millar & Millar The effects of direct and indirect experience on affective and cognitive responses and the attitude–behavior relation. Journal of experimental social psychology, Journal of experimental social psychology, Volume 32 Issue 6 1996
3 Clayton S. (2003). Environmental identity: A conceptual and an operational definition. In Clayton S., Opotow S. (Eds.), Identity and the natural environment (pp. 45-65). Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
4 Richardson, M., Passmore, H. A., Barbett, L., Lumber, R., Thomas, R., & Hunt, A. (2020). The green care code: How nature connectedness and simple activities help explain pro-nature conservation behaviours. People and Nature
5 Barragan-Jason, G., de Mazancourt, C., Parmesan, C., Singer, M. C., & Loreau, M. (2021). Human–nature connectedness as a pathway to sustainability: A global meta-analysis. Conservation Letters,
6 Cayete G. (2015) Indigenous education and the development of indigenous community leaders
7 Fritjof Capra (2016) The Tao of Physics: An Exploration of the Parallels Between Modern Physics and Eastern Mysticism. Shambhala Publications.
8 Kamitsis, I., & Francis, A. J. P. (2013). Spirituality mediates the relationship between engagement with nature and psychological wellbeing. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 36, 136–143. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2013.07.013
9 Schultz P. W. (2001). The structure of environmental concern: Concern for self, other people, and the biosphere. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 21, 327-339. Crossref Web of Science.
