Relational values have recently emerged as a novel concept for research on human-environment relationships, seeking to understand ethical principles that may foster environmental stewardship, coupled with a recognition of nature’s contributions to people. At present, most empirical research on relational values uses qualitative methods. Here we review some of the reasons that may have contributed to the lack of quantitative research, besides noting that a lot of existing quantitative empirical research on human-environment relationships already deals with relational values, even if it does not use that terminology. We suggest that incorporating quantitative approaches into the methodological toolkit of relational values research has a number of benefits: First, it contributes to the empirical evidence base testing hypotheses and assumptions emerging from qualitative and conceptual work. Second, it may help identifying core relational values shared across cultures, and this way improve communication and cooperation across different cultures. Third, it may improve the political legitimacy of environmental decision-making via statistically representative measurements of public views. Complementing qualitative with quantitative approaches for relational values research is also in the spirit of integrated valuation and value pluralism.

关系价值近来已成为研究人与环境关系的一种新颖概念，旨在理解可能促进环境管理的伦理原则，并认识到自然对人类的贡献。当前，大多数关于关系价值的实证研究都使用定性方法。在这里，我们回顾了一些可能导致缺乏定量研究的原因，除了指出许多现有的关于人与环境关系的定量实证研究已经处理了关系价值，即使它没有使用该术语也是如此。我们建议将定量方法整合到关系价值研究的方法学工具包中有许多好处：首先，它有助于从定性和概念性工作中得出的经验证据基础测试假设和假设。其次，它可能有助于确定跨文化共享的核心关系价值，从而改善跨不同文化的交流与合作。第三，它可以通过统计上具有代表性的公众观点来改善环境决策的政治合法性。用定量方法对关系价值研究进行定性补充也是本着整合估值和价值多元化的精神。它可以通过统计上具有代表性的公众观点来改善环境决策的政治合法性。用定量方法对关系价值研究进行定性补充也是本着整合估值和价值多元化的精神。它可以通过统计上具有代表性的公众观点来改善环境决策的政治合法性。用定量方法对关系价值研究进行定性补充也是本着整合估值和价值多元化的精神。