To nature or not to nature: associations between environmental preferences, mood states and demographic factors
To nature or not to nature: associations between environmental preferences, mood states and demographic factors
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.
57-66
Regan, C.L.
8ad7e69e-1229-4545-8ef4-65bcfa969d92
Horn, S.A.
04077ebe-3b4a-445d-9871-45e2b7ab4592
2005
Regan, C.L.
8ad7e69e-1229-4545-8ef4-65bcfa969d92
Horn, S.A.
04077ebe-3b4a-445d-9871-45e2b7ab4592
Regan, C.L. and Horn, S.A.
(2005)
To nature or not to nature: associations between environmental preferences, mood states and demographic factors.
Journal of Environmental Psychology, 25 (1), .
(doi:10.1016/j.jenvp.2005.01.001).
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.
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Published date: 2005
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Local EPrints ID: 40112
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/40112
PURE UUID: 0289a214-0170-44c2-9900-fe2bb6fd2fd9
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Date deposited: 04 Jul 2006
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 08:17
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Author:
C.L. Regan
Author:
S.A. Horn
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