Through the lens of a naturalist: How learning about nature promotes nature connectedness via awe

Environmental educators stress the importance of engaging with the wonders of the Earth in promoting nature connectedness. However, it remains unclear if learning about nature has an incremental effect beyond mere exposure to nature and what psychological mechanism can explain such a learning effect...

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Main Authors: NG, Shu Tian, LEUNG, Angela K. Y., CHAN, Sarah Hian May
Format: text
Language:English
Published: Institutional Knowledge at Singapore Management University 2023
Subjects:
Awe
Online Access:https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/soss_research/3844
https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/context/soss_research/article/5102/viewcontent/ThroughLensNaturalist_av.pdf
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Institution: Singapore Management University
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spelling sg-smu-ink.soss_research-51022023-12-12T08:58:39Z Through the lens of a naturalist: How learning about nature promotes nature connectedness via awe NG, Shu Tian LEUNG, Angela K. Y. CHAN, Sarah Hian May Environmental educators stress the importance of engaging with the wonders of the Earth in promoting nature connectedness. However, it remains unclear if learning about nature has an incremental effect beyond mere exposure to nature and what psychological mechanism can explain such a learning effect if it exists. To fill this gap, we propose a mediation model in which learning about nature promotes a sense of awe—a self-transcendent emotion associated with the recognition of vastness in nature. A sense of awe, in turn, promotes nature connectedness. Study 1 employed a cross-sectional survey and offered preliminary support for the proposed model, with participants who showed greater knowledge about nature (assessed by a species identification quiz) reporting higher levels of dispositional awe and nature connectedness, even after controlling for contact with nature. Study 2 was an experimental study that administered a two-week intervention where participants learned about nature with the help of two smartphone applications, Google Lens and Seek by iNaturalist. Results showed that there was an indirect effect of learning about nature on nature connectedness via awe among participants with higher levels of engagement with the intervention. The practical implications of our findings are discussed. 2023-12-01T08:00:00Z text application/pdf https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/soss_research/3844 info:doi/10.1016/j.jenvp.2023.102069 https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/context/soss_research/article/5102/viewcontent/ThroughLensNaturalist_av.pdf http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ Research Collection School of Social Sciences eng Institutional Knowledge at Singapore Management University Learning about nature Nature connectedness Awe Intervention Environmental education Applied Behavior Analysis Environmental Sciences Social Psychology
institution Singapore Management University
building SMU Libraries
continent Asia
country Singapore
Singapore
content_provider SMU Libraries
collection InK@SMU
language English
topic Learning about nature
Nature connectedness
Awe
Intervention
Environmental education
Applied Behavior Analysis
Environmental Sciences
Social Psychology
spellingShingle Learning about nature
Nature connectedness
Awe
Intervention
Environmental education
Applied Behavior Analysis
Environmental Sciences
Social Psychology
NG, Shu Tian
LEUNG, Angela K. Y.
CHAN, Sarah Hian May
Through the lens of a naturalist: How learning about nature promotes nature connectedness via awe
description Environmental educators stress the importance of engaging with the wonders of the Earth in promoting nature connectedness. However, it remains unclear if learning about nature has an incremental effect beyond mere exposure to nature and what psychological mechanism can explain such a learning effect if it exists. To fill this gap, we propose a mediation model in which learning about nature promotes a sense of awe—a self-transcendent emotion associated with the recognition of vastness in nature. A sense of awe, in turn, promotes nature connectedness. Study 1 employed a cross-sectional survey and offered preliminary support for the proposed model, with participants who showed greater knowledge about nature (assessed by a species identification quiz) reporting higher levels of dispositional awe and nature connectedness, even after controlling for contact with nature. Study 2 was an experimental study that administered a two-week intervention where participants learned about nature with the help of two smartphone applications, Google Lens and Seek by iNaturalist. Results showed that there was an indirect effect of learning about nature on nature connectedness via awe among participants with higher levels of engagement with the intervention. The practical implications of our findings are discussed.
format text
author NG, Shu Tian
LEUNG, Angela K. Y.
CHAN, Sarah Hian May
author_facet NG, Shu Tian
LEUNG, Angela K. Y.
CHAN, Sarah Hian May
author_sort NG, Shu Tian
title Through the lens of a naturalist: How learning about nature promotes nature connectedness via awe
title_short Through the lens of a naturalist: How learning about nature promotes nature connectedness via awe
title_full Through the lens of a naturalist: How learning about nature promotes nature connectedness via awe
title_fullStr Through the lens of a naturalist: How learning about nature promotes nature connectedness via awe
title_full_unstemmed Through the lens of a naturalist: How learning about nature promotes nature connectedness via awe
title_sort through the lens of a naturalist: how learning about nature promotes nature connectedness via awe
publisher Institutional Knowledge at Singapore Management University
publishDate 2023
url https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/soss_research/3844
https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/context/soss_research/article/5102/viewcontent/ThroughLensNaturalist_av.pdf
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