An analysis of data from 75 countries confirms that nature connectedness predicts well-being

A secondary analysis of data collected in 75 countries found that nature connectedness is a robust predictor of well-being. Nature connectedness was found to be associated with multiple aspects of well-being. The paper was published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology.

The relationship between humans and nature is an important factor for both human health and the health of the environment. The extent to which individuals feel emotionally and cognitively connected to the natural world is called nature connectedness. It reflects a sense of belonging to nature rather than seeing oneself as separate from it.

People high in nature connectedness tend to experience feelings of awe, appreciation, and care when interacting with natural environments. This sense of connection can develop through experiences such as spending time outdoors, observing wildlife, or engaging in nature-related activities.

Research has shown that individuals who feel strongly connected to nature tend to report lower stress and improved mood. Nature connectedness is linked to higher engagement in pro-environmental attitudes and behaviors, such as conservation and sustainable lifestyle choices. For many people, contact with nature provides opportunities for reflection, restoration, and emotional balance.

Study author Lea Barbett and her colleagues wanted to assess the relationship between nature connectedness and well-being across the world. They hypothesized that this association would consistently emerge in different human groups and thus be generalizable across countries. They also hypothesized that nature connectedness would be associated with greater purpose in life, hope, satisfaction with life, coping, optimism, and mindfulness.

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The study authors analyzed a dataset containing responses from 38,366 participants across 76 countries. Ultimately, the researchers used a final sample of 36,803 participants across 75 countries, as South Africa was excluded because the survey administered there did not include the nature connectedness measure. Data were collected between 2020 and 2022 via a multinational effort of the C19 Consortium.

The study authors used data on participants’ nature connectedness (collected using the Nature Relatedness scale, e.g., “My relationship to nature is an important part of who I am”), and various measures of well-being (purpose in life, satisfaction with life), and psychological factors and resources associated with well-being (coping, mindfulness, optimism, hope).

In general, results across countries showed small to large associations of nature connectedness with purpose in life, hope, life satisfaction, resilient coping, optimism, and mindfulness. Although there were countries where some of these associations were not obtained, the findings generally supported the study authors’ hypothesis that higher nature connectedness is associated with better well-being across the world.

“Our findings highlight the importance of nature connectedness for well-being globally, especially for communities with low access to nature and social resources,” the study authors concluded.

The study contributes to the scientific understanding of the psychological importance of nature connectedness. However, the design of the study does not allow any causal inferences to be derived from the results. Additionally, the sample predominantly consisted of university students, skewing the data toward highly educated populations rather than being fully representative of the general public in each country. Also, data were collected during the COVID-19 pandemic, and this might have impacted the well-being of study participants in ways the analysis did not account for.

The paper, “Nature Connectedness and Well-Being: Evidence from a Multi-National Investigation Across 75 Countries,” was authored by Lea Barbett, Stylianos Syropoulos, Jin Capozzoli, and The C19 Consortium.