An individual's personality is composed of multiple traits that tend to be stable across the lifespan. It's generally understood that both genetic and environmental factors play influential roles in personality development and change. Some research suggests that “variations in adult personality have their origins in childhood temperament and/or experiences.” This study explored a possible relationship between childhood contact with nature and adult personality.
The study involved 783 adults from 42 different countries. All of the participants completed a two-part survey. One part focused on the participants' frequency of contact with specific natural environments (forests, deserts, mountains, parks, gardens, etc.) in childhood and in adulthood. The other part included the Big Five Inventory 2 (BFI-2), an adult personality assessment based on the traditional five-factor model of personality. The five factors or domains of the BFI-2 are Extraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Negative Emotionality, and Open-Mindedness, each with a set of subfactors.
Survey responses showed that frequency of contact with nature in childhood predicts higher Openness (Creative Imagination, Intellectual Curiosity) and lower Neuroticism (Anxiety, Depression), even after controlling for standard demographic variables (socio-economic status, education, etc.). Frequency of contact with temperate forest environments in particular, predicted lower Anxiety and Emotional Volatility, as well as higher Intellectual Curiosity and Creative Imagination. Results also indicated that contact with nature in childhood may represent a learned emotional regulation strategy resulting in lower Neuroticism when continued in adulthood. The relationship between contact with nature in childhood and Intellectual Curiosity and Creative Imagination was direct, suggesting that these relationships were not a result of the repeated use of nature in adulthood.
The researchers concluded from their analysis of the data and a consideration of possible pathways between exposure to natural environments in childhood and adult personality that contact with nature may be “an ideal environment for creative play in childhood” and that “forest environments may be particularly suitable for children”. The findings and conclusions relating to this study highlight the importance of “identifying, creating, and protecting” natural environments for future generations of young people.
Research Partner