Environmental Psychology

"This book is an interesting change from the usual run ofintroductions to environmental psychology. It dealsinteresting and thoroughly with a wide range of issues, andgenerally the many authors present their views and accounts ofresearch in a clear and easy-to-follow manner." (Psychology Learning & Teaching, 1 November 2013)

Linda Steg is professor of Environmental Psychology at the University of Groningen, the Netherlands. Judith I. M. de Groot is a Senior Lecturer in Sustainable Consumer Behaviour at the University of Groningen, the Netherlands.

List of Figures xix List of Tables xxi List of Boxes xxii List of Contributors xxiv 1 Environmental Psychology: History, Scope, and Methods 1 Linda Steg, Agnes E. van den Berg, and Judith I. M. de Groot 1.1 Introduction 2 1.2 History of the Field 2 1.2.1 Towards Architectural Psychology 3 1.2.2 Towards a Green Psychology 4 1.3 Current Scope and Characteristics of the Field 4 1.3.1 Interactive Approach 4 1.3.2 Interdisciplinary Collaboration 5 1.3.3 ProblemFocused Approach 5 1.3.4 Diversity of Methods 6 1.4 Main Research Methods in Environmental Psychology 6 1.4.1 Questionnaire Studies 7 1.4.2 Laboratory Experiments 8 1.4.3 Computer Simulation Studies 8 1.4.4 Field Studies 9 1.4.5 Case Studies 9 1.5 Overview of the Book 10 Glossary 10 Suggestions for Further Reading 11 Review Questions 11 PART I ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCES ON HUMAN BEHAVIOUR AND WELL-BEING 13 2 Environmental Risk Perception 15 Gisela Bhm and Carmen Tanner 2.1 Introduction 16 2.2 What are Environmental Risks? 16 2.3 Subjective Risk Judgements 17 2.3.1 Heuristics and Biases in Risk Judgements 17 2.3.2 Temporal Discounting of Environmental Risks 19 2.3.3 The Psychometric Paradigm 19 2.4 Risk, Values, and Morality 19 2.4.1 Values 20 2.4.2 Morality and Ethics 21 2.5 Emotional Reactions to Environmental Risks 22 2.6 Summary 23 Glossary 23 Suggestions for Further Reading 24 Review Questions 25 3 Climate Change as a Unique Environmental Problem 26 Janet K. Swim and Lorraine Whitmarsh 3.1 Introduction 27 3.2 Public Understanding of Climate Change 27 3.3 Assessing the Risk of Climate Change 28 3.3.1 Detecting a Problem 30 3.3.2 Interpretations of Problems 31 3.3.3 Accepting Responsibility and Taking Action 32 3.4 Summary 33 Glossary 33 Suggestions for Further Reading 34 Review Questions 35 4 Environmental Stress 36 Elena Bilotta, Uchita Vaid, and Gary W. Evans 4.1 Introduction 37 4.2 Conceptualizations of Stress 37 4.3 Effects of Environmental Stress 38 4.3.1 Noise 38 4.3.2 Crowding 40 4.3.3 Poor Housing Quality 41 4.3.4 Poor Neighbourhood Quality 42 4.3.5 Traffic Congestion 42 4.4 Summary 43 Glossary 43 Acknowledgements 44 Suggestions for Further Reading 44 Review Questions 44 5 Scenic Beauty: Visual Landscape Assessment and Human Landscape Perception 45 Mari S. Tveit, sa Ode Sang, and Caroline M. Hagerhall 5.1 Introduction 46 5.2 Visual Quality Assessment 46 5.3 Theories Explaining Landscape Preferences as Innate or Learnt 47 5.4 Measuring and Mapping Scenic Beauty 50 5.5 Methodological Developments 51 5.6 Summary 52 Glossary 52 Suggestions for Further Reading 53 Review Questions 54 6 Health Benefits of Nature 55 Agnes E. van den Berg,Yannick Joye, and Sjerp de Vries 6.1 Introduction 56 6.2 What is Health and How can it be Measured? 57 6.3 What is Nature and How can it be Measured? 57 6.4 Nature and Clinical Health 58 6.5 Green Space and Public Health 59 6.6 Mechanisms Linking Nature to Health 60 6.6.1 Air Quality 61 6.6.2 Physical Activity 61 6.6.3 Social Cohesion 62 6.6.4 Stress Reduction 62 6.7 Summary 63 Glossary 63 Suggestions for Further Reading 64 Review Questions 64 7 Restorative Environments 65 Yannick Joye and Agnes E. van den Berg 7.1 Introduction 66 7.2 Restorative Environments Research 66 7.2.1 Stress Recovery Theory 67 7.2.2 Attention Restoration Theory 68 7.3 The Evolutionary Origins of Restorative Nature Experiences 69 7.4 Recent Theoretical and Empirical Developments 70 7.4.1 Perceptual Fluency Account 70 7.4.2 Connectedness to Nature 70 7.4.3 MicroRestorative Experiences and Instorative Effects 72 7.5 Applications and Implications 72 7.6 Summary 73 Glossary 73 Suggestions for Further Reading 75 Review Questions 75 8 Ambivalence Towards Nature and Natural Landscapes 76 Agnes E. van den Berg and Cecil C. Konijnendijk 8.1 Introductio