Novel approaches are needed to increase preparedness behaviours in populations with high disaster risk. Crucially, such approaches need to take into account the relationships that people have with place. We report a randomised controlled trial to test the effectiveness of an online place attachment mental visualisation task to increase preparedness behaviours. Findings from a pilot (Study 1) using

Knowledge-deficit models highlight that providing novel information increases knowledge and acceptance of empirical facts. Motivated cognition models, however, highlight that people often discount new attitude-conflicting facts. Thereby, according to motivated cognition models, people's levels of global warming knowledge and anthropogenic climate change acceptance markedly reflect their preexisting

Extensive research has documented the frequent gap between people's intentions to perform environmentally significant behavior and their actual behavior. Despite this, limited research has empirically unpacked the processes and conditions under which people's environmental considerations influence behavior and when they do not. The present research sought to meet this research need by investigating

Due to mounting concerns about the psychological well-being of university students, it is useful to consider whether and how the quality of the physical study environment can improve students’ functioning. The present study examined the presence of potted plants within a university library study room on students’ self-reported mood (i.e., fatigue and vigor), self-reported cognitive performance (i.e

Previous research has shown that biospheric, altruistic, and egoistic values explain more variance in proenvironmental behavior than explained by the self-determined motivation that is linked to such behavior (i.e. motivation fueled by the fulfilment of basic psychological needs). However, these findings might stem from the relatively narrow measures of proenvironmental behavior employed in these studies

Research on clutter in non-clinical populations is scarce. Existing research typically examines clutter’s negative effect on quality of life. Assertions from self-help books and lifestyle media that living with less clutter has beneficial health and psychological outcomes have received limited scientific attention. This study aimed to address a significant gap in the literature by exploring the associations

The study of pro-environmental behavior has been dominated by self-report scales and field observations. Although both approaches have their merits, they also suffer from critical limitations that obstruct progress towards a better understanding of pro-environmental behavior. The Pro-Environmental Behavior Task (PEBT) was developed to address these limitations by facilitating the study of actual pro-environmental

How can we alleviate the political divide on environmental issues such as climate change? Baldwin and Lammers (2016, Study 1) found that an environmental message with a past temporal focus attenuated the negative association between participants’ conservatism and their pro-environmental attitudes, compared with a future-focused environmental message. To confirm the temporal comparison effect on conservatives’

The main goal of the present research is to gain a better understanding of the consequences of background noise on learning, with a specific focus on how noise may impair maths achievement. A mental calculation task was administered in the classroom to 162 middle-school students (11 to 13 years old). The listening conditions were manipulated, choosing three different conditions - quiet, traffic and

Makerspaces have become some of the most important environments for nurturing creativity in the 21st century. This study proposed that a rounded versus an angular physical work environment (RA-PWE) in makerspaces has different effects on makers’ divergent and convergent creativity. The results of a survey with makers in 15 makerspaces and two experiments indicated that a rounded physical work environment

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected many aspects of people's lives. Lockdown measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19 have been more stringent for those aged over 70, at highest risk for the disease. Here, we examine whether home garden usage is associated with self-reported mental and physical wellbeing in older adults, during COVID-19 lockdown in Scotland. This study analysed data from 171 individuals

Rural areas in Australia are experiencing a mass out-migration of young people. The causes and impact of this out-migration are well documented. However the role of place attachment, in particular attachment towards urban areas, in the decision of whether to move back to rural areas remains unexplored. This research adopted a social constructionist epistemology to examine the migration intentions of

Research has shown that messages containing descriptive normative feedback can induce behavior change in the direction of the norm. However, the literature is mixed regarding the relative influence of more specific referent groups. This study compared the effectiveness of social normative feedback at increasing waste diversion, across four referent groups varying in their degree of specificity. A sample

We investigated the associations between refugee and environmental attitudes among 36876 respondents from 20 countries included in the European Social Survey Round 8 (2016). Three preregistered hypotheses were supported: (H1) there was a positive association between these attitudes across countries (meta-analytical partial correlation = .16), (H2) anti-immigration party voters held more negative environmental

Increasingly initiatives are formed from the bottom-up, by for example community members themselves, to stimulate pro-environmental behaviour in their overarching group. But can such bottom-up initiatives motivate pro-environmental behaviour, and why? I propose that perceiving a pro-environmental initiative as formed by regular group members themselves (i.e. from the bottom up) enables pro-environmental

Recreation in a public park is associated with contact with other people spending time in a park setting. The choices people make about visiting a park are not always associated with the need for contact. Sometimes privacy and/or safety is more important, and this is related to the presence of other people in the area and where these people are. We examined how our preferences are influenced by how

Many environmental policies are characterized by long time horizons (e.g., multiple generations) and high geographic dispersion (e.g., multiple countries). In this study, we use theories of psychological distance and the method of conjoint experimentation to disentangle the extent to which different dimensions of the perceived distance associated with a policy's impacts may undermine support for environmental

Conspicuous conservation refers to pro-environmental activities that are intended as signals of some attractive quality of the actor. As some of these qualities are desirable in romantic partners, people may purchase green products or services to impress potential romantic partners. We propose that conspicuous conservation communicates generosity – a trait that is especially valued in long-term romantic

Both individual and collective actions are needed to address global environmental changes. Contributing to a growing literature on the collective dimension of pro-environmental actions, we examined the role of national identity in mobilizing environmental norms and pro-environmental tendencies. Latent profile analysis with a large national dataset (N = 13,942) revealed five profiles underlying participants'

The goal of the study was to explore the relationship between perceived accessibility (person-environment fit) and depressive symptoms as potentially mediated by satisfaction with social relationships and physical activity. A convenience sample of 422 older adults aged 65 and over was interviewed. Using bootstrapping, we tested the strength and significance of the conditional indirect effects of two

Three studies investigated habitual worry about global warming as an example of 'eco-anxiety'. The key question was whether such worrying is constructive (a motivated pro-environmental response) or unconstructive (a symptom of pathological worry). Pathological worry and worry about global warming were assessed together with two other worry sources, that is, personal issues and the world economy (Study

This paper proposes social identity as a psychological concept that connects societal and individual aspects of transformation processes. To this end, we embed the social identity concept into the multilevel perspective, a framework frequently used for analysing societal transformation processes. The paper presents three meta-analyses summarizing the empirical evidence for the postulated strong pro-environmental

We explored to what extent two theoretical approaches – general (i.e., the Value-Identity-Personal norm model), and behavior-specific (i.e., the Comprehensive Action Determination Model) can explain different waste prevention behaviors. In Study 1 we investigated bottled water consumption, while in Study 2 we investigated bag reuse when shopping, giving away or selling unused items, and purchasing

Previous work reveals that political orientation is a relevant social identity for many people and that the desire to conform to political ingroup norms can drive belief and behavior change. Because pro-environmental behaviors are viewed as stereotypically liberal in the US, American conservatives may be less likely to engage in pro-environmental behavior, particularly when political identity and normative

This study explores the associations between personal and place-related attributes and their associations with community resilience among individuals exposed to continuous traumatic stress. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 1001 adults residing adjacent to the Gaza border in southern Israel (Mage = 53, SD = 16.5 years; 70% were female). The results identified vulnerable individuals and groups

We build on social identity models of environmental collective action by developing the Environmental Cognitive Alternatives Scale (ECAS), which measures the ability to imagine what a sustainable relationship between humans and the rest of nature might look like. In Study 1 (N = 386), we developed the initial scale, and found evidence for its construct validity. The ECAS was associated with other relevant

As straw reduction campaigns have become ubiquitous, some have worried that adopting the relatively easy behavior of refusing plastic straws will detract from arguably more impactful and important pro-environmental behaviors (PEBs) and policy support. The present study utilized a guilt appeal to encourage reducing straw use (PEB1) and tested spillover effects to a wide range of household and travel

The Covid-19 pandemic has prompted a reconsideration, perhaps even a fundamental shift in our relationships with place. As people worldwide have experienced ‘lockdown,’ we find ourselves emplaced in new and complex ways. In this Commentary, we draw attention to the re-working of people-place relations that the pandemic has catalysed thus far. We offer insights and suggestions for future interdisciplinary

The confinement situation experienced as a result of COVID-19 will have consequences at a psychological level. These consequences can affect emotion recognition because, due to isolation, interactions and social contacts have been drastically reduced. The aim of this study was to find out if there were differences in facial emotion recognition in two groups of young adults, one confined during COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has had significant consequences for Americans' daily lives. Many people are spending more time in their homes due to work from home arrangements, stay at home orders, and closures of businesses and public gathering spaces. In this study, we explored how one's attachment to their home may help to buffer their mental health during this stressful time. Data were collected from a

Many of the most pressing environmental challenges we face—from climate change to habitat and species loss—require present generations of decision-makers to act pro-socially in the best interests of future generations. One factor known to inhibit intergenerational altruism is the absence of direct reciprocal exchange between generations. Research has suggested, however, that present decision-makers

Nature interactions have been demonstrated to produce reliable affective benefits. While adults demonstrate strong preferences for natural environments over urban ones, it is not clear whether these affective benefits result from exposure to nature stimuli per se, or result from viewing a highly preferred stimulus. In one set of studies (Study 1 and 2), state affect before and after image viewing was

Exposure to ‘real’ nature can increase positive affect and decrease negative affect, but direct access is not always possible, e.g. for people in health/care settings who often experience chronic boredom. In these settings ‘virtual’ forms of nature may also have mood-related benefits (e.g. reducing boredom) but it has been difficult to separate effects of nature content from those of delivery mode

Distraction from the background environment while performing concentrationdemanding tasks is a common issue for office employees in shared work areas. However, few field studies have been conducted on the effects of different office types and work areas on objective measurements of cognitive performance. The first aim of the present field study was to investigate, before relocation to an activity-based

Extensive land degradation is a global problem that presents a critical threat to pastoralists’ welfare in East Africa and beyond. Although the reasons for this environmental problem are complex, it is likely to be exacerbated by communal land management practices that have become suboptimal due to changes in land access and population growth. In the present paper we make initial steps towards addressing

Recent reports have presented evidence of dramatic biodiversity declines. Despite the threat posed by such losses we know little about people's reactions to such information, or rarer ‘bright spot’ stories of localised recovery. We explored these issues through the lens of prospect theory, testing three aspects: a) reference dependence, b) loss aversion, and c) diminishing sensitivity. Study 1 (n = 393)

Despite the success of plastic bag charges in the UK, there are still around a billion single-use plastic bags bought each year in England alone, and the government have made plans to increase the levy from 5 to 10 pence. Previous research has identified motivations for bringing personal bags to a supermarket, but little is known about the individuals who are continuing to frequently purchase single-use

With the continuous growth of the global population and the increasing demand for natural resources, ecological resource scarcity has become a global issue that cannot be ignored. However, little is known about individuals' environment-related responses to ecological resource scarcity. Will people save resources for the future or consume them for immediate interests when resources become scarce? Drawing

The psychological construct of nature connectedness - the depth of an individual's relationship with the natural world - has not only been associated with benefits for mental well-being but has also shown relationships with personality traits relevant to the dark personality literature. These include agreeableness, cognitive and affective empathy, and callous and uncaring traits. Across two independently-sampled

Landmarks, salient spatial elements, are often argued to play an important role in the formation of mental representations of space. They are likely to be perceived due to their salience and they can be used as spatial reference points to memorize the locations of other spatial elements. In maps, landmarks are often represented as pictograms. Similar to real world objects, their likelihood to be perceived

Across cultures, people seem to have a strong default belief that natural entities are better, healthier, and safer than non-natural entities. While the majority of research has thus far primarily focused on the exploration of a naturalness bias in general, few studies have directly attempted to examine the relationship between individual differences and naturalness bias. Based on previous theory that

There are large individual differences in navigation ability, but we know little about the causes of these differences. Here, we examine how motivational and emotional dispositions affect every-day navigation and in turn influence navigation ability. We developed three new self-report surveys, measuring growth mindset in regard to navigation ability, tendency to explore new places, and tendency to

Laboratory studies, mostly with students as samples, consistently demonstrate the psychological benefits of indoor plants. However, these findings do not always translate into benefits for employees in real work contexts. In three studies, this paper first looked to replicate the findings of previous laboratory studies for the South African context and then to assess whether these findings were robust

The challenge of handling the Earth's shared, limited resources calls for strategies that promote sustainable behavior. We examine whether competition between groups can foster sustainable behavior and whether dispositional competitiveness moderates this effect. In two well-powered, pre-registered studies (total N = 1946), participants took part in a common resource microworld, in which they shared

Research exploring place attachment, place identity and people-place relations often adopts a quantitative approach and focuses on positively perceived places with negative or ambivalent places being largely omitted. This study investigated patterns of attachment of former staff members from three conventionally stigmatised places: historic mental asylums in the north of England. Semi-structured, qualitative

Recent research found that when asked explicitly, people associate (future) sustainable actions with positive instead of negative emotions. This empirical finding implies that policy makers could harness people's intrinsic motivation to promote sustainable actions. It is however not clear where this association between sustainable actions and positive emotions stems from. Why would people report that

Evidence has been found that contact with nature may reduce rumination in healthy individuals living in urban environments. This paper aims at i) testing whether one may replicate previous findings using a shorter duration of nature exposure, and ii) explore the possibility that a shift in attention away from self (notably induced by the emotion of awe), leading to mood restoration, may mediate such

This article explores the cross-cultural equivalence of two composite measures of environmental concern derived from the International Social Survey Programme (ISSP): the pro-environmental views scale (PEVS) and the environmental awareness scale (EAS). Item response theory and multigroup confirmatory factor analysis were employed to evaluate comprehensively the target measures while focusing on a concrete

Based on collective action theories and appraisal theories of emotion, we propose that people are moved and positively overwhelmed by the idea that together they can make a difference for a more sustainable future and that these feelings motivate them to participate in pro-environmental collective action. We surveyed activists and sympathizers of a forest protection campaign (Study 1, N = 210) and

The present study aimed to investigate the decision-making process and outcomes associated with downsizing to a smaller home in late life. Older adults who had downsized in the past year (n = 68) were recruited across the U.S. between 2018 and 2019 and were interviewed eithr in person or over the phone. Participants completed self-report measures of push-pull factors driving the decision to move, relocation

Healthcare built environments are increasingly considered an important contributor to patient satisfaction and wellbeing. Nevertheless, few studies have developed rigorous survey tools to capture patients' experience of such settings, and hence facilitate investigating the nexus between the built environment and health-related outcomes, in a reliable manner. Even fewer consider ambulatory oncology

Building on a body of research examining the influence of natural versus urban images on attention, the purpose of the present study was to examine attention restoration with (1) a large sample size, (2) a broader image set that was more representative of typical natural and urban environments, and (3) an increased number of task trials to increase the likelihood of more thorough attentional depletion

Feedback on one's consumption, for instance, via a carbon footprint calculator, is a common strategy used in attempts to promote pro-environmental action. Although feedback can be effective in reducing consumption, little research examines the psychological processes that may be involved. In other contexts, negative feedback can evoke guilt, whereas positive feedback can evoke pride. Pride is often

Environmental psychology is a field concerned with transactions between humans and their environments. Since human–environment interactions are culture-bound, a fuller understanding of such interactions requires sensitivity to the role of culture in the ways researchers theorize human behavior, conduct empirical studies, and interpret observed findings. In this article, we aim to advance the development

Self-regulation in childhood is associated with multiple short- and long-term outcomes, including academic achievement, and physical and mental health. The literature to date suggests several individual and family factors that can influence children's development of self-regulation. However, the role of the wider context, particularly the wider physical context, remains less clear. In the present study

In three studies, we investigated the consequences of self-nature representations for pro-environmental action, focusing on the role of viewing nature as relatively larger than the self (i.e., nature-self size; NSS). Drawing on theories from the self, prosocial behavior, and emotions literatures, we anticipated that NSS would make unique contributions above and beyond inclusion of nature in self (INS)

Food loss and food waste extensively contribute to environmental degradation. Children waste large quantities of food and more research is required to better understand this problem and consequently to reduce food waste in the youngest generation. Here, we examined affective and behavioral components of attitudes towards food-wasting in a group of 670 children and 123 adults, aged 3–28. The participants

The impact of anthropogenic climate change is an ever-pressing challenge facing the global community. Making changes to minimize the negative effects of climate change is critical. Visual images of climate change are emotionally salient and have been found to capture attention. However, the degree to which emotional valence (i.e., positive or negative) and aspect of climate change (i.e., potential

Local mobility culture is introduced as a theoretical concept that is useful for transformative research. This article conceptualizes local mobility culture as injunctive normative beliefs that comprise the priorities of a local transport system. The concept suggests that these beliefs are acquired through communication within social networks. The presented measure for local mobility culture proposes