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  • About
  • The Global ETD Search service is a free service for researchers to find electronic theses and dissertations. This service is provided by the Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations.
    Our metadata is collected from universities around the world. If you manage a university/consortium/country archive and want to be added, details can be found on the NDLTD website.
11

Evaluating the potential of zoos in reconnecting people with nature and conservation issues / Evaluation du potentiel des zoos à reconnecter les citoyens à la nature et aux enjeux de conservation

Colléony, Agathe 14 October 2016 (has links)
Avec l’actuelle crise de la biodiversité, nos modes de vie de plus en plus urbains diminuent nos opportunités d’expériences de nature. Cependant, une relation intime avec la nature a de nombreux bénéfices, que ce soit pour le bien être individuel, la santé ou la restauration de l’attention, mais aussi les enjeux environnementaux. De nombreuses recherches ont exploré le degré auquel les citoyens se sentent faire partie du monde naturel, et se sont ainsi intéressées plus récemment à l’importance de reconnecter les citoyens – en particulier urbains – à la nature et aux enjeux de conservation, à travers les expériences de nature. Au travers de ce travail de thèse, nous avons exploré si les zoos pourraient participer à une telle reconnexion. Pour cela, une approche interdisciplinaire a été adoptée, avec des concepts et méthodes issus de la biologie de la conservation, de l’anthropologie, de la psychologie sociale et psychologie de la conservation, de la psycho acoustique, et de l’économie environnementale. Nous avons tout d’abord exploré si les zoos étaient considérés comme des espaces de nature. Puis, nous nous sommes intéressés plus particulièrement à la perception de la nature dans le zoo, d’un point de vue visuel et sonore. L’analyse comparative entre des visiteurs de zoos et des utilisateurs de parcs urbains nous a permis d’explorer l’impact de la visite au zoo sur le sentiment de connexion à la nature et sur les attitudes envers la conservation. Enfin, nous nous sommes intéressés aux comportements pro-conservation au zoo, au travers de l’analyse du choix de l’animal et du montant de la donation chez des participants à un programme de parrainage d’un animal au zoo.Ce travail démontre que même si le zoo est considéré et utilisé comme un espace de nature, il n’affecte pas le sentiment de connexion à la nature des visiteurs. Cependant, en comparaison à une visite d’un parc urbain, la visite au zoo a le potentiel de promouvoir les attitudes envers la conservation, au travers de la connexion à la nature. De plus, même au zoo, si l’accent est largement mis sur les espèces captives, exotiques, les visiteurs semblent aussi percevoir la biodiversité urbaine. Néanmoins, à l’inverse des attitudes pour la conservation, il reste incertain que le zoo promulgue les comportements pro-conservation. Pour conclure, ce projet de thèse a mis en évidence que dans le processus de reconnexion des citoyens à la nature et aux enjeux de conservation, les zoos offrent indubitablement un type d’expérience de nature aux citoyens urbains, qui devrait être pris en considération au même titre que d’autres types d’expériences de nature (e.g. forêts), notamment puisque les zoos sont des institutions qui accueillent une très large et diverse proportion de la population dans le monde. / With the on-going biodiversity crisis, growing urban lifestyles decrease opportunities to experience nature. However, an intimate relationship with nature has various benefits, for individual well-being, health or attention restoration, but also for environmental issues. Much research effort explored the extent to which people feel being part of the natural world, and thus focused more recently on the importance of reconnecting people – especially urban dwellers – with nature and conservation issues, through experiences of nature. In this work, we investigated whether zoos could participate in such reconnection. We used an interdisciplinary approach, with concepts and methods from conservation biology, anthropology, social and conservation psychology, psychoacoustics, and ecological economics. We first explored whether zoos were considered as natural places. Then, we looked more closely at people’s perception of nature at the zoo, from both visual and auditory perspectives. Comparative analysis between zoo visitors and urban park users allowed us investigate the impact of the zoo visit on sense of connection to nature and conservation attitudes. Finally, we focused on pro-conservation behaviors at the zoo through the analysis of animal choice and amount of donations of participants to an animal adoption program at the zoo. This work demonstrates that although the zoo is considered and used as a natural place, it does not affect sense of connection to nature. However, compared to a visit to an urban green park, the zoo visit has the potential to raise conservation attitudes, through connectedness to nature. Additionally, despite an emphasis on captive, exotic species at the zoo, visitors also seemed to perceive urban wildlife. Nevertheless, unlike conservation attitudes, the contribution of the zoo in enhancing pro-conservation behaviors remains doubtful. To conclude, this PhD project highlighted that in the process of reconnecting people to nature and conservation issues, zoos undoubtedly provide one type of experience of nature to urban dwellers, that should be considered along with other types of experiences of nature, e.g. woodlands, especially because zoos are institutions that target a very large and diverse part of the population, worldwide.
12

Creating Healthy Urban Environments: Commercial Landscaping, Preference and Public Health

Leibe, Mary 16 December 2016 (has links)
Landscape development[1] can provide many benefits, including the reduction of stormwater runoff and the creation of habitats for wildlife. It can also provide health benefits. Researchers, such as Roger Ulrich and Rita Berto have demonstrated that views of trees and other vegetation are associated with lower blood pressure and reduced recovery times in hospitals and that environments with more natural elements may lessen mental fatigue (R. Ulrich 1984) and (Berto 2005). As rebuilding in New Orleans continues 11 years after Hurricane Katrina, landscape development has been limited or lacking, especially in the redevelopment of commercial properties. Two prominent reasons for this deficiency are a lack of funding and, until August of 2015, the absence of a comprehensive landscape ordinance. The purpose of the research presented here is to determine the degree to which community residents express a preference for healthier commercial environments. As part of my research, I measured community perceptions of four potential redevelopment concepts for a blighted strip shopping center utilizing attention restoration theory (ART), which postulates that certain environmental qualities contribute to reductions in mental fatigue. I found that commercial environments with the most quality landscaping[2] are those that neighborhood residents most prefer and are most conducive to better health. Keywords: mental fatigue, attention restoration theory, perceived restoration scale, commercial landscape quantity, public health, healthy urban environment [1] Refer to operational definitions (pages 4-6). [2] Refer to operational definitions (pages 4-6).
13

Urban dwellers experiences regarding loss of natural environments due to rapid urbanization

Montanye, Erica 01 January 2017 (has links)
Little is known about how residents of rapidly growing cities are impacted by the loss of natural environments. Large cities are expanding at an exponential rate, reducing the presence of, and access to, natural environments for urban dwellers. Many benefits to human health regarding the presence of natural environments near where people live and work are known, but impacts of the loss of natural environments for urban dwellers are unknown. The purpose of this qualitative investigation was to understand residents' experiences regarding the loss of natural environments and related impacts. Attention restoration theory and place attachment were the theoretical lenses used to examine this problem. Data were collected via in-depth interviews from a purposive sample of 20 San Antonio residents. Using interpretative phenomenological analysis procedures, 7 themes emerged: (a) environment (b) health (c) safety (d) finance (e) community and culture (e) factors related to deprivation of nature, and (f) recommendations for improvements. Residents expressed concerns for their health, mental health, the environment, wildlife, byproducts of urbanization, social well-being, personal safety, and finances. Other possible key factors related to the process of deprivation of nature included experiencing a loss of freedom, associated with emotional impacts similar to sadness. Residents of San Antonio, city planners, and policy makers could benefit from understanding these impacts on residents. Data from this study may contribute to possible implications for social change and new knowledge and insights in the areas of health, mental health, social responsibility, urban planning, land conservation, and environmental psychology.
14

Kommuninvånares behov av nyttjande till friluftsliv : En enkätundersökning i Kalmar län

Leth Nyberg, Bonny, Engberg, Malin January 2023 (has links)
Bakgrund: Kommuner och myndigheter jobbar idag med friluftsliv utifrån de 10 friluftsmålen. Friluftsplan eller översiktsplan är förekommande i flera kommuner i Sverige, däremot inte i den undersökta kommunen. Trots brist på en friluftsplan har den undersökta kommunen ett rikt friluftsliv som anses vara en viktig pelare i folkhälsoarbetet. Tidigare forskning visar på att friluftsliv främjar hälsan både psykiskt och fysiskt, även teorierna attention restoration theory (ART) och recreation opportunity spectrum (ROS) benämner naturen samt friluftsutövning som främjande för återhämtning. Syfte: Syftet med undersökningen var att kartlägga individers behov och intressen av nyttjande till friluftsliv på en kommunal nivå. Metod: Undersökningen genomfördes som en kvantitativ tvärsnittsstudie. Urvalet bestod av invånare i undersökt kommun med sju inkluderade orter samt två inkluderingskriterier, respondenterna behövde bo i undersökt kommun samt vara över 15 år. Utformad digital enkät bestod av 14 frågor och publicerades på digitala plattformar samt att informationsbrev placerades på fysiska anslagstavlor i den undersökta kommunen. Viktiga variabler i enkäten var orter samt åldersgrupper, varav orterna var en viktig faktor för att få svar på en av frågeställningarna, om intresset och behovet av nyttjande till friluftsliv skiljde sig.  Resultat: Totalt samlades 237 svar in och resultatet visade på att vandringsleder samt utegym var det som hade störst svarsfrekvens och behövs tillföras eller förbättras i kommunen. Det fanns störst avsaknad av toalett/utedass gällande friluftsservice och att vandringslederna i kommunen kunde förbättras genom bättre information på informationsskyltar samt förbättring av ledmarkeringar. Svaren skiljde sig mellan orterna i flera av frågorna men endast frågan gällande kommunens aktivitetsområde visade på en signifikant skillnad mellan invånare i de olika orterna varav i Ort1 hade procentmässigt positivare åsikter och bara invånare i Ort1 och Ort3 hade en åsikt av mycket dåligt. Konklusion: Respondenternas svar visar på ett stort intresse av ett ökat utbud av aktiviteter och faciliteter i kommunen vilket ger en grund till vad kommunen bör prioritera vid framtida planering. / Background: Municipalities and authorities today work with outdoor recreation based on the 10 outdoor goals. Outdoor plans or general plans are present in several municipalities in Sweden, but not in the investigated municipality. Despite the lack of an outdoor plan, the investigated municipality has a rich outdoor life which is considered an important pillar in the public health work. Previous research shows that outdoor life promotes health both mentally and physically, even the theories attention restoration theory (ART) and recreation opportunity spectrum (ROS) refer to nature and outdoor exercise as restorative. Purpose: The purpose of the study was to map out individual opinions and interest related to outdoor activity on a municipal level. Method: This study was conducted with a quantitative cross-sectional design. The sample of the study consisted of habitants in the investigated municipality with seven included towns and two inclusion criteria, the respondents had to live in the investigated municipality and be over 15 years old. The designed digital questionnaire consisted of 14 questions and was published on digital platforms and an information letter was placed on physical notice boards in the investigated municipality. Important variables in the study were towns and age groups, of which the towns were an important factor in getting answers to one of the questions, whether the interest and the need for use for outdoor life differed. Results: A total of 237 responses were collected and the results showed that hiking trails and outdoor gyms had the highest response frequency and needed to be added or improved in the municipality. There was a major lack of toilets regarding outdoor service and that the hiking trails in the municipality could be improved through better information on information signs and improvement of trail markings. The answers provided by the participants differed between the towns in several of the questions, but only the question regarding the municipality's area of activity showed a significant difference between habitants in the different towns, of which habitants in Town 1 had percentage-wise more positive opinions and only habitants in Town 1 and Town 3 had a very bad opinion. Conclusion: The responses provided by the participants demonstrate a strong interest in increasing the range of activities and facilities available within the municipality, which provides a basis for what the municipality should prioritize in future planning.
15

Pathways from Nature to Wellbeing through Immigrant Narratives : An Exploratory Study on Urban Green Spaces and Wellbeing in Sweden / Vägar från natur till välmående genom invandrares berättelser : En utforskande studie av urbana grönområden och välmående i Sverige

Tañada, Jose Maria Rafael January 2024 (has links)
With increasing trends in global migration and urbanization causing human health issues such as psychological stress, context-sensitive planning and strategizing for outdoor nature-based interventions, such as urban green spaces (UGS), paves way for sustainable and socially just cities and communities. This study aims to explore and identify this context in regard to immigrants in Sweden through triangulation of collected data involving participants’ perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors toward migration, urban green spaces, and human health in the framework of the perceived restorative qualities of Kaplan & Kaplan’s Attention Restoration Theory (ART). Methods for data collection included an online survey and perceived restorativeness (PRS) test administered to 100 respondents, and semi-structured interviews, photovoice storytelling, and a similar PRS test to 18 interviewees. The collected data was analyzed through mixed methods. Quantitative data analysis was performed using descriptive analysis and the Kruskal-Wallis test to detect significant differences of PRS test results of survey respondents in regard to aspects of their migration background and UGS perspectives. Qualitative data analysis was performed using thematic analysis on data collected from the interviewees resulting to five identified main themes. Furthermore, results from both qualitative and quantitative analyses are interpreted through a reconstruction of narratives of potential UGS beneficiaries. Findings have shown evidence of migration-related experiences, memories, and lifestyles as main factors of current attitudes and behaviors toward UGS, and consequently affecting maximization of intended UGS benefits. Air pollution and negative social experiences were shown to be main factors affecting participants’ wellbeing and frequency of UGS use. Water features, family-friendly orientation, and walkability in outdoor spaces were shown to be main preferences hinting at pathways of UGS toward improved human wellbeing. Despite the challenge of needing personal life context to enlighten socially just decision-making in the planning of urban outdoor spaces, the interconnectedness of perspectives of interview and survey participants with varying migration backgrounds through the reconstructed narratives shed light on pathways that urban planners can choose to focus on. / Denna studie utforskar migrationens och urbana grönområdens (UGS) kontext i Sverige, med fokus på invandrares uppfattningar, attityder och beteenden gentemot UGS och hälsa inom ramen för Kaplan & Kaplans Attention Restoration Theory (ART). Datainsamlingen inkluderade en online-enkät och ett test för upplevd återhämtning (PRS) som administrerades till 100 respondenter, samt semistrukturerade intervjuer, fotoberättelser och PRS-test till 18 intervjuade. Blandad metodanalys avslöjade migrationsrelaterade erfarenheter som nyckelfaktorer som påverkar UGS-användning och välbefinnande. Preferenser inkluderade vatteninslag, familjevänliga områden och gångvänlighet. Luftföroreningar och negativa sociala erfarenheter påverkade välbefinnandet och UGS-användningen negativt. Resultaten informerar om socialt rättvis stadsplanering.
16

Grönstrukturens funktion och betydelse för studenternas återhämtning (under covid-19 restriktioner) / Green structure's function and importance for students' recovery (during Covid-19 restrictions)

Ahmad, Doaa January 2020 (has links)
Tidigare forskning har visat att exponering för grön miljö tillhandahåller hälsofördelar. Dessa fördelar indikerar bland annat återhämtningseffekt av stress, trötthet och uppmärksamhetsutmattning, vilket är särskilt viktigt för universitetsstudenter. Därför syftade denna studie att undersöka om det finns en koppling mellan universitetsstudenters kontakt med grönstruktur i/nära studiemiljö och studenternas upplevelse av sin studiemiljö under covid-19 restriktionerna. Detta med hjälp av en dagbokundersökning som förstudie och telefonintervjuer. Analysverktyget bestod av teoretiska ramverk, Attention Restoration Theory (ART) och Stress Reduktion Theory (SRT). Resultat och analys har bekräftat Attention Restoration Theory (ART), där det uppges att gröna naturliga miljöer ger återhämtningseffekt och väcker uppmärksamhet efter en mental trötthet. Därtill bekräftade den även Stress Recovery Theory (SRT), där det uppges att gröna naturliga miljöer ger positiva effekt på stressminskning, -bearbetning och -återhämtning. Slutsatsen till denna undersökning är att grönstruktur har en stor betydelse för universitetsstudenterna, detta då alla väljer att vistas eller komma i kontakt med gröna naturen på ett eller annat sätt, till exempel gå en promenad i naturen eller åka till en stuga i skogen. Att naturen är en del av studenternas vardag verkar vara framför allt en omedveten upplevelse för de flesta och sker utan erkännande eller bearbetning av miljön. Dock framkommer det att processen kan vara medveten för vissa studenter. / Previous research has shown that exposure to the green environment provides health benefits. These benefits indicate among other things, recovery effect of stress, fatigue and attention-exhaustion, which is especially important for university students. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate whether there is a connection between university students' contact with the green structure in / near the study-environment and the students' experience of their study environment during the covid-19 restrictions. This with the help of a diary-survey as a pilot-study and telephone interviews. The analysis tool consisted of theoretical frameworks, Attention Restoration Theory (ART) and Stress Reduction Theory (SRT). Results and analysis have confirmed Attention Restoration Theory (ART), where it states that green natural environments have a recovery effect and attracts attention after a mental fatigue. In addition, it also confirmed the Stress Recovery Theory (SRT), which states that green natural environments have a positive effect on stress reduction, processing and recovery. The conclusion of this study is that green structure is of great importance to university students, as everyone chooses to reside or get in touch with green nature in one way or another, for example going for a walk in a green environment or staying in a cottage in the forest. That nature is a part of the students' everyday life seems to be above all an unconscious experience for most and takes place without recognition or processing of the environment. However, it appears that the process may be conscious for some students.
17

Skolgårdens plats i den föränderliga staden / The place of the school ground in the transformative city

Hansson, Sanna, Lundeberg, Sonja January 2021 (has links)
I stadens förändringsprocess, ständigt präglad av nya ideal, ska många intressen förenas och beaktas vid utformningen av skolgårdar. Med utgångspunkt i naturens betydelse för barns hälsa och utveckling undersöker denna studie två skolgårdar i Malmö utifrån tre perspektiv: skolgårdarnas utformning, högstadieelevers användning av och preferenser på skolgården samt planerarens prioriteringar och tillvägagångssätt vid utformningen av skolgårdsmiljöer. Syftet är, genom förståelse för hur dessa tre perspektiv kan förenas, öka kunskapen kring hur skolgårdarna kan planeras mer socialt och ekologiskt hållbart i den föränderliga staden. Detta undersöks med en mixad metod genom platsobservationer, enkätundersökningar och intervjuer. Empirin påvisar en relativt passiv inställning till skolgården bland eleverna, oberoende av skolgårdens storlek och mängd grönska samt att de överlag prioriterar social interaktion och mobilanvändande på rasterna. Tolkningen av det empiriska materialet utifrån teorin tyder på att det är grönskans kvalitet som påverkar elevernas intresse för att ta del av miljön. Genom intervjuerna framkom det att utformningen av ett grönt ramverk som erbjuder olika rumsligheter kan bidra till en mer jämlik, inkluderande och hållbar skolgårdsmiljö. Den ideala skolgårdsmiljön, som kan anses vara en där naturen företräds, speglar dock inte nödvändigtvis elevernas uppfattning av den ideala skolgården. Elevernas preferenser kan däremot få ta plats inom det hållbara ramverket, genom aktiv gestaltning. / Within the city's transformative process, constantly tinged by new ideals, different interests must be united and considered in the planning and design of school grounds. Based on the importance of nature for children's health and development, this study examines two school grounds in Malmö from three perspectives: the school grounds design and shape, the use and preferences of the students on the school grounds, and the planner´s priorities and proceedings in planning school ground environments. The purpose is, through an understanding of how these three perspectives can unite, to increase knowledge on how school grounds can be planned more socially and ecologically sustainable in the transformative city. This is investigated with a mixed method through site observations, surveys and interviews. The empirical evidence shows a relatively passive relation to the school ground among the students, regardless of the school grounds size and amount of greenery, and generally they prioritize social interaction and mobile phone use during breaks. The interpretation of the empirical material, based on the theory, indicates that it is the quality of the greenery that affects the student’s interest in using the environment. Through the interviews, it emerged that the design of a green framework that offers different spatialities can contribute to a more equal, inclusive and sustainable school ground. The ideal environment of the school ground, which can be considered one that is characterized by natural environments, does not necessarily reflect the student's ideal of it. The students' preferences can however be accommodated within the sustainable framework through continuous design.
18

服務場景的人際因素對注意力幸福感的影響: 以恢復體驗為中介角色 / The Influences of Interpersonal Factors within Service Environments on Attention-Related Well-Being: The Mediation Role of Restorative Experience

曾祥景, Tseng, Hsiang Ching Unknown Date (has links)
本研究目的是從注意力恢復理論的觀點檢驗服務環境中的人際因素如何影響恢復體驗,進而帶給顧客注意力幸福感。人際因素有顧客小群體的人際融洽、其他顧客的相似性、外表及行為適當性、以及服務人員的服務友誼、顧客導向行為與銷售導向行為。本研究執行兩個研究,研究一將會透過量表建構過程發展一個恢復體驗量表,適用於享樂型人身處理或心理刺激處理類型的服務業,並得知恢復體驗的概念內涵與組成要素。研究二將檢驗恢復體驗的前因與後果,以及恢復體驗是否會中介人際因素與注意力幸福感之間的關係。研究一結果指出恢復體驗由內容迷戀、暫時逃離、動機相容、能力相容、活動新奇感與心流六個子構面組成,該量表共以21題衡量,並具有良好的信度、收斂效度、區別效度與外在效度。研究二結果指出服務環境中的人際因素會顯著的影響恢復體驗,而恢復體驗亦會帶來顧客的注意力幸福感,恢復體驗會完全中介人際因素與注意力幸福感之間的關係。根據研究結果討論理論、方法與管理意涵。在服務業情境的恢復體驗概念內涵比大自然情境多了過程迷戀面向,但是少了一致性面向。恢復體驗的前因應不只限於與大自然有關的實體因素而已,因為人際因素亦是恢復體驗重要的前因。恢復體驗與其子構面間的關係應被建模為反映型而非形成型。本研究提供服務業者指南,告知其如何透過人際因素的形塑與管理,帶給顧客注意力幸福感。由於小群體融洽相對於其他人際因素而言對顧客的恢復體驗影響較大,服務業者應將較多資源分配在管理顧客小群體上,並促成其產生小群體融洽。最後,提出研究限制與未來研究方向。 / The purpose of this research is to examine how interpersonal factors in service environment influence restorative experience, which in turn facilitates attention-related well-being of customers from the perspective of attention restoration theory. Interpersonal factors include small groups (i.e., interpersonal rapport), other customers (i.e., similarity, physical appearance, and suitability of behavior), and service providers (i.e., service friendship, customer orientation, and selling orientation). Two studies were conducted. Study 1 developed a scale of restorative experience applicable to hedonic service industry of people-processing or mental stimulus processing types. Also, the conceptual domain and components of restorative experience were discussed. Study 2 examined the antecedents and consequences of restorative experience and whether restorative experience mediates the relationship between interpersonal factors and attention-related well-being. The results of study 1 indicated that restorative experience is comprised of six dimensions- content fascination, escape, motivation compatibility, competence compatibility, novelty of activity, and flow. The new scale is measured using 21 items and has good reliability, convergent validity, discriminant validity, and external validity. The results of study 2 indicated that interpersonal factors in service environment significantly influence restorative experience, which in turn influences attention-related well-being. Restorative experience completely mediates the relationship between interpersonal factors and attention-related well-being. Theoretical, methodological, and managerial implications are discussed. Compared to natural environment, restorative experience in the service environment contains the dimension of process fascination but has no dimension of coherence. Since interpersonal factors facilitate restorative experience, the antecedents of restorative experience should not be confined to natural elements of physical environment as done in the past studies. The relationships between restorative experience and its sub-dimensions should be modeled as reflective, not formative. This research provides guideline for service marketers to manage and harness interpersonal factors and improve attention-related well-being for customers. Since rapport in customer small group has more influence than other interpersonal factors on restorative experience, service marketers should put more resource in managing customer small groups and facilitating rapport among members in customer small group. In the end, limitations and direction of future research are presented.
19

Environmentálně-psychologická východiska výchovy v přírodě / The Basis of Environmental Psychology for Outdoor Education (The Influence of Nature on Mental and Social Well-Being)

VRBOVÁ, Zuzana January 2012 (has links)
The work deals with theoretical research of basis of Environmental Psychology for Outdoor Education. It answers two questions ? why in the conceptions of Outdoor Education is nature the preferred environment and what are the benefits of nature for physical, mental and social health. The answers to theses questions are in the work described through theories of environmental preference and restorative effects of nature. There are three major sections of the work. The first part discusses the basis, principles and contents of Environmental Psychology and Outdoor Education, the core terminology of the work, and the nodal points of Environmental Psyhcology and the theory of Outdoor Education. Second part describes those theories and concepts of Environmental Psychology which are related to the primary and subsidiary research questions. The third part evaluates the impacts and relevance of environmental-psychological knowledge on concepts of Outdoor Education.
20

Can mindfulness enhance connectedness with nature? The case of in-depth nature experiences with adolescents

McCloskey, Jake A. 03 May 2018 (has links)
This thesis is an exploratory look into the use of mindfulness practice on in-depth nature experiences to determine if the practice has benefit to the participant, their outdoor experience, and overall connectedness with nature. An original research project examined three groups of adolescents from St. Michaels University School Outdoor Education program in Victoria, BC, Canada, as they hiked the Juan de Fuca trail. Two of the three groups undertook a simple mindfulness protocol to explore the outcomes. Based on participant-observation and interviews, mindfulness practice was determined to be a useful practice towards alleviating stress and anxiety associated with aspects of in-depth outdoor experiences, such as morning preparations. Participants who practiced mindfulness on the trip asked fewer questions about the future and remained present more often than those who did not practice mindfulness. A further finding was that there are aspects of mindfulness inherent in in-depth nature experiences, such as sitting around a fire. These inherent mindfulness moments should be encouraged as they provide benefit to trip experiences, and potentially towards greater connectedness with nature. Overall, this qualitative study suggests that mindfulness is a useful tool for the benefit of human well-being and nature connection. However, more research is needed to further identify the magnitude and mechanisms of the benefit. / Graduate

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