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Getting your children used to being surrounded by nature, even close to home, would give them a better awareness of their environment and increase their probability of adopting pro-environmental behavior.
you don’t know what to do to get your children out of screens and out of boredom? Take them for a stroll to the lake or stream closest to you! A study conducted in Austria found that people exposed to blue spaces (such as coastlines, rivers, and lakes) during childhood tend to feel closer to nature as adults. The study was published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology .
The most environmentally friendly are those who have been close to nature
The study aimed to determine the factors that influence the adoption of these pro-environmental behaviors. Researchers have suggested that exposure to blue spaces during childhood could foster a deeper emotional connection with nature, which could then encourage environmentally responsible behaviors in adulthood.
The researchers collected data from 2,370 Austrian adults, representative of the population in terms of age, gender and region. Participants ranged in age from 18 to 89, and half of them were women. Participants were asked to describe various aspects of their daily environmental behavior as well as their memories of exposure to blue spaces in childhood, frequency of recent visits to blue and green spaces, and their sense of connection with nature. .
Results showed that participants who recalled frequent visits to the sea or lakes during childhood also reported stronger feelings of connection with nature and more frequent visits to natural environments as adults. These feelings of connection with nature were in turn associated with a greater likelihood of engaging in pro-environmental behaviors.
A virtuous circle to share with your child
The researchers tested a statistical model that suggests a cause-and-effect relationship: exposure to blue spaces during childhood strengthens the connection with nature in adulthood, which then leads to more visits to natural landscapes , which ultimately results in more environmentally friendly behaviors. The results confirmed this model, indicating that the path from childhood exposure to blue spaces to adult environmentalism is possible.
The researchers noted, however, that the direct relationship between exposure to blue spaces during childhood and pro-environmental behavior in adulthood was weak. This suggests that while childhood experiences with nature can influence environmental behaviors later in life, the effect is relatively small.
A bond that works even better for little girls
The study also revealed some demographic differences. Women reported more environmentally friendly behaviors than men, even though the latter reported going to green spaces more frequently. The unemployed also displayed more pro-environmental behaviors than employed participants. Finally, participants from high-income households spent more time in nature than those from low-income households.
“Increasing detachment from the natural world may hinder the development of connectivity with nature and PEBs [comportements pro-environnementaux]. We provide evidence of a positive relationship between (recalled) exposure to blue spaces during childhood and PEBs in adulthood, which can be explained in part by connectivity with nature at age adult and recent visits to the wild”conclude the authors of the study.
Slide: Teaching your children to preserve the environment while having fun