To nature or not to nature: associations between environmental preferences, mood states and demographic factors

Description/Abstract

Thematic analysis of free-response questionnaires explored the role of mood states and demographic factors in moderating preferences for natural environments, in children and adults. Individual differences influenced overall preferences (nature or not nature) but had few significant effects on between-mood comparisons. Current theories on the restorative properties of natural environments suggest that (i) the stressed mood state would be associated most strongly with a preference for nature and (ii) that demographic factors would not strongly influence preference for nature in the stressed mood state. Results lend only partial support to these views. When the sample was divided into sub-categories by age, gender, rural/urban home environment, proportion of nature around home environment, nature hobbies and nature holidays, the mood state relaxed produced a greater percentage of nature preference responses than stressed. Stressed was, however, ranked first or second for preference for green nature in 10 of the 13 sub-groups. The implications of the findings are discussed in the light of restorative theories.