Environmental psychology and ecopsychology in evolutionary age: cognitive, affective and relational aspects

Abstract

Ecopsychology and environmental psychology study the individual-environment relationship, highlighting the benefits that contact with nature can produce in individuals with cognitive, affective, individual and relational benefits. The objectives of the research has set out to achieve are as follow: explore relationships and experiences that children have towards plants, natural open spaces and animals; develop a sense of
belonging to the territory; evaluate the perception of the degree of connection to nature; assess whether contact with nature changes and facilitates learning processes, relational mode; provide a play-recreation nature space for primary school children; promote cultural paths that aim to enhance the “re-discovery” of nature; create and offer
the natural spaces where children can express feelings, emotions, needs; raising awareness of environmental issues; evaluate the sensitivity and knowledge that children have with respect to the environmental crisis; assessment of the effects that natural laboratories can have on child welfare; educational evaluation of the impact and
“re-balancing” of nature.The research involved the activation of natural laboratories in the fourth and fifth years of a primary state school in Palermo, running an entire school year on a weekly basis (as an experimental group).
At the end of the project, the CNS (Connectedness to Nature Scale) and NRS (Nature Relatedness Scale) were used as two research samples: the experimental group, and a smooth control group for age, gender, class. The results show a significant statistical difference between the two groups, and act as evidence of how the research has been able to validate the assumptions and achieved the set out goals.