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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2023
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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 |
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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 |
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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. |
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NG, Shu Tian LEUNG, Angela K. Y. CHAN, Sarah Hian May |
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NG, Shu Tian LEUNG, Angela K. Y. CHAN, Sarah Hian May |
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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 |
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Through the lens of a naturalist: How learning about nature promotes nature connectedness via awe |
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Through the lens of a naturalist: How learning about nature promotes nature connectedness via awe |
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through the lens of a naturalist: how learning about nature promotes nature connectedness via awe |
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Institutional Knowledge at Singapore Management University |
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2023 |
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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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