Awe-inspiring experiences in nature may change behavior

Encountering wildlife can create an awe-inspiring and memorable experience. Research suggests that having an emotional experience or feeling awe can change the way a person reflects on a memory. Furthermore, additional research suggests that experiencing awe can promote a variety of behaviors, such as empathy, personal growth, and feeling connected to a place. The study sought to understand how wildlife encounters in nature can promote pro-environmental behaviors.

The authors used two theories to understand how experiencing awe may be connected to environmental behaviors: the theory of emotional memory (TEM) and the experiential learning theory (ELT). TEM suggests that an emotionally impactful event is more easily remembered. ELT emphasizes the importance of reflecting on an experience to learn from it. Taken together, the authors suggest that seeing wildlife can promote an emotional response, and that after reflection, that event can take on meaning—such as learning something new about wildlife. This paper focused on the final aspect of this model, which was how this experience might impact behaviors, a phase the authors called “Learning Implications.”

The study was part of a larger, multi-phase project, and took place in Urbana, Illinois. The authors collected data through online surveys and telephone interviews from residents of Urbana; their data collection efforts were part of another study related to wildlife and city parks. The initial survey was given to participants who were a part of a listserv for a park in the district. Participants were given the opportunity to participate in a follow-up study. Researchers then selected eight individuals based on sex and age to participate in a telephone interview; the authors believed that age and sex might affect how individuals perceived wildlife encounters. The participants were asked to share wildlife experiences they had that they considered to be formative or impactful. They were encouraged to tell stories from throughout their lives so that the interviewers could better understand the impact the experiences had on the individual. Transcripts were analyzed following the interviews and researchers then identified when participants described feeling wildlife induced awe and when they learned from this awe.

The study found that all of the participants had reflected on their wildlife encounters, and the authors found that they had learned something after these experiences. The study's findings support that awe-inspiring wildlife experiences can create a change in an individual.

Participants all reflected on their experience afterwards in different ways. As participants described their experiences with wildlife, both positive and negative, they indicated feeling overwhelmed and spiritual. The emotions that the participants felt during the experience continued to be felt when they later reflected on the memory.

The participants all continued to spend time in nature after their experiences. The participants suggested that these experiences changed how they made decisions, as well has how they connected with nature and other people. Some participants indicated that their encounters with wildlife influenced their choice of career. In addition, participants described how they had learned from their parents or how they worked to pass along what they had learned to their children.

This study has limitations. The authors indicated that because the interviews were not conducted in person, they were limited in detecting change in facial expression and body posture of the participants. This could have limited how the researchers gathered information on the participants and how they gauged emotional reaction when reliving their memories. The results of this study are specific to this group of participants. A larger study with more participants undertaken in a different location may produce different results.

The authors recommend that EE practitioners consider the emotional impact of wildlife encounters and experiences in nature. Integrating intentional reflection after these experiences can promote pro-environmental behaviors. The authors suggest that both positive and negative experiences in nature can lead to positive memories after reflection. Thus, even if individuals have a fearful reaction, this experience may be transformative if that person is given the opportunity to reflect and make meaning.