Different types of nature experiences may have different effects on connectedness with natureMany studies show a positive relationship between childhood nature experiences, connectedness with nature, and action for nature. An awareness of this relationship and concerns about the state of the environment have prompted calls to reconnect children to nature. Vagueness about what the reconnection process entails, however, impedes answering these calls. The aim of this literature review was to gain some clarification of the interplay between childhood nature experiences, connectedness with nature, and motivations to act for nature. This research also aimed to specify pathways to connecting with nature and to identify direction for future research.
The review included 122 articles published between 2001 and 2021. Only a few (N=7) were published prior to 2011; the majority (N=91) were published after 2015. This increase in literature for the past decades reflects an acknowledgement of the importance of the topic. Most of the studies used a quantitative self-report scale for measuring connectedness with nature. College students were the most frequently studied group, but almost half of the studies included primary and secondary school age students. Most of the studies were conducted in fixed settings – such as schools and camps – located in predominantly Western countries.
The included studies addressed different dimensions of connectedness with nature, ranging from physical to spiritual. The most frequently specified dimensions were emotional or affective, cognitive, experiential, and behavioral. Some studies suggest that childhood experiences in nature or acting for nature reflect connectedness with nature itself, rather than being related to it. Three types of connectedness about how and to what extent humans and nature are connected were identified: “humans and nature as separate yet related entities (intertwined), one as part of the other (including), and as one entity (indistinguishable).” Studies also reflected differences in whether the concept of connectedness with nature is viewed as an individual or collective reality. The included studies generally indicated that childhood nature experiences contribute to connectedness with nature, yet, “the context of these experiences in nature or the type of experience is often left unspecified.” Some studies, however, support the idea that self-directed experiences in everyday nature contribute to children’s connectedness with nature. Some studies also indicate that engaging children in reflections on their relationship with nature and providing sensory nature-rich environments can promote their connectedness to nature. Most studies also report a positive association between connectedness with nature and acting for nature through such everyday pro-environmental behaviors as recycling or saving energy. Only a few studies addressed committed activism.
The overall findings suggest that experiences in nature and identification with nature serve as two potential pathways for promoting connectedness with nature. Recommendations for future research include taking a holistic approach, recognizing that connectedness to nature is not uniform and requires examination within different contexts, with more diverse populations, and with a broader range of approaches. The authors support more qualitative, mixed-method and multi-disciplinary research approaches.
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