Environmental Psychology

Environment and US
Since the earliest times, humans have needed to be sensitive to their
surroundings to survive, which means that we have an innate ( inborn )
awareness of our environment and seek out environments with certain qualities.

Humans have a strong need for safety and security and look for those
attributes in their environment.

We look for physical comfort, such as an environment with the right

temperature. We seek an environment that is psychologically comfortable:
for example, environments that are familiar, but offer the right amount of
stimulus.

Retailers. the hospitality industry and healthcare areas know this very well
and try to provide an atmosphere that creates a positive customer experience
and offers three important attributes: comfort, safety, and entertainment.
 How can the environment impact
you?
The environment can facilitate or discourage interactions among
people (and the subsequent benefits of social support). For example,
an inviting space with comfortable chairs and privacy can encourage
a family to stay and visit with a patient.

The environment can influence peoples' behaviour and motivation to

act.
For example, a dingy corridor filled with extra hospital equipment
will invite staff to leave another item in the hall, whereas a clean
corridor and adequate storage will encourage staff to take the time
to put the item away.

The environment can influence mood.

For example, the results of several research studies reveal that
rooms with bright light, both natural and artificial, can improve
health outcomes such as depression, agitation, and sleep.
 What is Environmental
Psychology
Environmental psychology is the study of transactions between
individuals and their physical settings. In these transactions,
individuals change the environment, and their behaviour and
experiences are changed by the environment.

Environmental psychology includes theory, research, and practice

aimed at improving our relationship with the natural environment
and making buildings more humane.

Environmental psychology is an interdisciplinary field that focuses

on the interplay between individuals and their surroundings.

The field defines the term environment broadly, encompassing

natural environments, social settings, built environments, learning
environments, and informational environments.
 What is Environmental Psychology

Environmental psychologists study the relationship between

human behaviour and the environment, from both directions -
how the environment affects behaviour, and how people's
behaviours and attitudes affect the environment.

Broadly speaking, environmental psychologists study any type

of environment, including the "built environment" of homes,
offices, and cities. For example, they investigate how spaces
affect people, and how to create spaces that are conducive to
human well-being.

They ask questions like, "How do urban environments

influence crime?“, “What do healing environments look like?”,
“Why some people choose to recycle?”, “What motivates
people to adopt environmentally positive behaviours?”, “Why
certain surroundings make people feel happy and
productive?”.
 History of Environmental
Psychology
Harold Proshansky is considered to be one of the
founding fathers of environmental psychology. He
was the first to codify (organise ) many of the
tenets ( belief ) involved in the discipline, and also
among the first to put forth the hypothesis that
environment directly influences behaviour in a
predictable way.

One has to observe people acting within the

context of a particular environment, which
involves a great deal of hands-on field work (as
opposed to controlled lab experimentation).
 History of Environmental
Psychology
Roger Barker was one of the more theoretical
personalities to emerge in the field of environmental
psychology.

He is famous for introducing the idea of "behaviour

settings" into the field, a concept that is fundamental to
the discipline as a whole.

In his landmark study, "One Boy's Day", he documented

a day in the life of several young children, observing how,
even without prompting, their modes of expression and
outward behaviour seemed to change dramatically as
their environments changed.
 History of Environmental
Psychology

Two researchers working in the 1980s, Rachel and

Stephen Kaplan, expanded upon Barker's findings with
their "attention restoration theory".

In their studies, they realized that outdoor natural

environments seemed to encouraged more calm and
attentive behaviour than enclosed spaces, over time.

They observed, for example, those workers who took a

break outside or had some interaction with nature
recovered much more quickly from work
stress/monotony than those who took a break in some
enclosed space with unnatural lighting.
 History of Environmental
Psychology
Environmental psychologist John Calhoun
introduced the idea of “personal space”.

According to him, in order to avoid stress, a

person needs a "defensible space" of some sort. It's
important that this space feel inalienable ( which
cannot be taken away ) , as this offers a sense of
security and comfort that is necessary for
confident action.

For example, if we live in a crowded building

without adequate access to privacy, we tend to feel
stressed.
 What do Environmental
Psychologists do?
Design, conduct, and analyze research

Teach as faculty members at colleges and universities

Make policy recommendations

Collaborate with others, such as landscape designers, urban

planners, environmental scientists, policy makers, architects,
and engineers, to create safe, healthy, and inviting spaces in
schools, prisons, cities, offices, industrial facilities, and homes

Include nature, wilderness, or outdoor therapy as part of

clinical practice

Work in urban planning, environmental and interior design,

and climate change
 Where do Environmental
Psychologists work?
Work for consulting firms, where they provide their
expertise to government agencies and industry.
May be employed by housing, planning, and
environmental agencies or architecture firms
directly.
Work for think tanks and environmental nonprofits.
Work for schools, nursing homes, healthcare,
retirement homes, prisons, and other communities.
Many become faculty at colleges and universities.
Psychologists in private practice often set their own
hours.
 Allied fields

Environmental psychology" is also known as human

factors science, cognitive ergonomics, ecological
psychology, ecopsychology, environment-behaviour
studies, and person-environment studies.

Closely related fields include architectural psychology,

socio-architecture, behavioural geography,
environmental sociology, social ecology, and
environmental design research, environmental and
urban design and planning, environmental aesthetics,
interior design, environmental impact assessment,
environmental philosophy, sustainability science,
environmental risk perception and management, and, of
course, conservation psychology and disaster psychology,
to name a few.
 Beyond Environmental
Psychology
Environmental psychology places more of a focus on the
built & physical environment, while its two sub-
disciplines, conservation psychology and ecopsychology,
centre on the relationships between people and the
natural world.

For example, they may study the psychology of climate

change, or incentives for changing behaviours that
degrades the environment.

Each area of study is part of a growing interdisciplinary

field bridging the social, life, and environmental sciences
including psychology, sociology, geography, architecture,
and environmental studies.
 Conservation psychology

Conservation psychologists study the development of

environmental attitudes.

For example, they may investigate the psychology of the

valuation of nature - how and why people value nature - to
better understand how to foster an environmental ethic or
studying behaviours towards nature and natural resources.

Conservation Psychologists study these behaviours to try to

determine how to cultivate sustainable ones.

They may also conduct experiments on the restorative effects

of nature on the human psyche, such as how spending time
outdoors reduces stress or increases concentration.
 Ecopsychology
While conservation psych focuses more on changing attitudes
and behaviours, ecopsychology places more emphasis on ties
between environmental and societal degradation.

For example, it also aims to address poverty and inequality.

It sees human well-being as integrally tied to environmental

well-being, and focuses on healing human society, as well as
nature.

Ecopsychology areas of study include emotional responses to

nature, the impacts of environmental issues such as natural
disasters and global climate change, and environmental identity
and concern or use outdoor activities for counselling or therapy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hl9Bkmv5Gkc

Science in Action – Susan Clayton

https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=7DNpkXbNpUs