Children’s environmental self-identities, and connectedness to nature, are central to their environmental behaviorsChildren who strongly connect with nature tend to participate in environmentally friendly behaviors. Developing a greater understanding of the relationship between nature connectedness – "a sense of oneness with nature” – and environmental action is essential to responding to global ecological challenges. Additionally, very little is known about how environmental identity interacts with nature connectedness among children. Another potential driver of pro-environmental behavior, environmental self-identity is the perception of oneself as a person who acts in an ecologically conscious manner. This study explores how nature connectedness and environmental self-identity interact as predictors of environmental behaviors.
Data collection occurred at 16 urban public schools in Sydney, Australia. Questionnaires were completed by 1,037 students (569 girls, 468 boys). The students ranged in age from 8 to 14 years (grades 3-8), although a majority were age 12-13 years. Questionnaires included a number of measures to assess the frequency of exposure to nature, nature-focused activities, participation in outdoor recreation, and learning about nature. Students reported their household biodiversity by indicating the prevalence of indoor and outdoor plants, pets, and wild animals near their home. Questionnaires also included measures of connection to nature, environmental self-identity, conservation behaviors (willingness to conserve nature), and frequency of environmentally responsible behaviors (saving water or energy, recycling, etc.). Researchers used GIS to assess greenness, blue space, and population density of the area surrounding students’ schools. Demographic information collected included age, gender, and school-level socioeconomic data. Statistical analysis sought to identify relationships between children’s exposure to nature, feelings for nature, and environmental actions.
Results revealed that children who spent more time learning about nature, engaged in more nature-focused activities, and had higher household biodiversity demonstrated significantly higher levels of connection to nature. Increased connection to nature was strongly associated with four nature-focused activities in particular: looking for wild animals, going for long walks, reading about nature in print, and learning outdoors. Unexpectedly, higher levels of local greenness were linked to lower levels of connection to nature. Participation in outdoor recreation, local blue space, and population density did not demonstrate an association with connection to nature. Analysis considering environmental actions revealed that children with higher levels of connection to nature also reported more frequent engagement in conservation behaviors (both willingness to conserve nature and frequency of environmentally responsible behaviors). Within this relationship, environmental self-identity was a central influence and explained half of the association between nature connectedness and conservation behaviors. Additionally, as a direct predictor of conservation behaviors, environmental self-identity was found to be equally as important as nature connectedness. On the other hand, learning about nature was only weakly associated with conservation behaviors and environmental self-identity.
Overall, the study provides insights to experiences that inspire urban children’s care for nature. Some of the most impactful experiences, such as long walks and reading nature books, offer an accessible path to nature connectedness. The findings also highlight the importance of emotional connection in inspiring environmental action.
Importantly, the findings demonstrate that urban children’s conservation behaviors may be promoted through not only strengthening connection with nature, but by supporting the development of environmental self-identity as well. The authors contend that “environmental self-identity should receive just as much attention as connectedness when it comes to promoting conservation.” Educational programming that fosters environmental identities may provide an approach for encouraging pro-nature behaviors in urban children and adolescents.
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