When most people think of biology, they have a false impression that it only
means cells and tissues that form together organs. What if I told you that the awareness of
our surroundings can have a significant influence on the human body, especially on our
homeostasis? Let’s start first with a clear definition to understand better what this term
represents. Environmental psychology is a multidisciplinary social science that
investigates the interaction between humans and their surroundings. It considers how we
shape our natural and manmade environments, as well as how those environments shape
us.
It is a relatively young branch in psychology, yet it is not a novel notion. People
understand they can find consolation in nature. In a crowded metropolis, we may feel
energized, excited, or even intimidated. In our personal space, home, or community, we
may experience a strong sense of well-being and tranquility. Winston Churchill famously
stated once, "We shape our buildings; they shape us." This has only been truer as we've
continued to create the world around us to better suit our needs and ambitions.
However, environmental psychologists are interested in more than simply how
our physical environment impacts us. Environmental psychology investigates how we as
humans affect the world in the same way that social psychology studies how people are
influenced by other people and ecology studies the relationships between living species
and their environments. Climate change is a striking – even frightening – example of how
we can have an impact on our environment. Our actions as a species have direct and
indirect effects on our climate and ecosystems.
However, this also implies that we can have a good impact on our surroundings.
Creating green areas, sustainable communities, and assisting wildlife to thrive are all
interventions that allow us to focus on sustainability while also positively affecting the
world around us. This is referred to as environmental design. We can construct places
that enhance and improve our environment through planning, policies, programs,
buildings, and products, whether they be natural settings, physical surroundings, or even
social or cultural environments.
There are several theories within the field of environmental psychology. The most
common are:
Arousal Theory - Arousal is an increase in brain activity, and arousal theory
examines how humans are aroused by stimulation and stress in our surroundings.
Consider yourself to be on a busy road. It's a scorching day, there are throngs around you,
terrible traffic fumes, and honking automobile horns. Your heart rate and blood pressure
may rise physiologically. You may begin to be less considerate of those around you in
terms of behavior. Arousal theory investigates both positive and negative arousal
experienced because of environmental influences such as these.
Environmental Load Theory - According to environmental load theory, humans have a
limited ability to handle external stimuli, and that limit is defined by the quantity of
information that our central nervous systems can process. We've all experienced times of information overload. Perhaps you've been scrolling through Twitter while watching a
movie, while your flat mate is having a noisy phone conversation in the next room. You
soon find it difficult to concentrate on anything going on around you.
Ecological Theory - According to ecological theory, we coexist with our environs, and
our behaviors exist because of our environments. In fact, it suggests that our environment
has the greatest influence on our behavior. Consider how you could act at work, school,
or a friend's residence. According to ecological theory, the place, rather than your
personality, influences how you behave in each of those situations.
I hope you've gained a better grasp of the subfield of environmental psychology
as a result of this article. Furthermore, I hope you are reminded to look around you and
consider your environment more frequently. You never know what a tiny change in your
environment might do for your mental and emotional condition, so why not take a chance
and adjust it to better suit you?
Bibliography:
• David Uzzell first Professor of Environmental Psychology in the UK,
University of Surrey. Research on public understandings of climate crisis,
behavior change and environmental practices, environmental labor studies,
environmental risk, heritage interpretation
• https://positivepsychology.com/environmental-psychology/
• https://www.apa.org/education-
career/guide/subfields/environment/education-training
• https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00583/full
• https://online.sunderland.ac.uk/what-is-environmental-psychology/
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