The Nature Relatedness Scale

TLDR

Disconnection from nature may contribute to planetary destruction. The study proposes a new construct, Nature Relatedness, and a scale to assess affective, cognitive, and experiential aspects of individuals’ connection to nature. The authors examined NR’s internal structure with factor analysis in 831 participants, tested its construct validity against environmental and personality measures, and used experience sampling to assess whether higher NR predicts more time spent outdoors. Across studies, NR correlated with environmental scales, behavior, and time in nature, supporting its reliability and validity and its contribution to environmental concern and behavior beyond other measures, and highlighting its potential for investigating human‑nature relationships.

Abstract

Disconnection from the natural world may be contributing to our planet's destruction. The authors propose a new construct, Nature Relatedness (NR), and a scale that assesses the affective, cognitive, and experiential aspects of individuals' connection to nature. In Study 1, the authors explored the internal structure of the NR item responses in a sample of 831 participants using factor analysis. They tested the construct validity of NR with respect to an assortment of environmental and personality measures. In Study 2, they employed experience sampling methodology examining if NR people spend more time outdoors, in nature. Across studies, NR correlated with environmental scales, behavior, and frequency of time in nature, supporting the reliability and validity of NR, as well as the contribution of NR (over and above other measures) to environmental concern and behavior. The potential of NR as a useful method for investigating human-nature relationships and the processes underlying environmental concern and behaviors are discussed.