Investigating Environmental Identity, Well-Being, and Meaning

Abstract

The present article is concerned with the relationships between the natural environment and identity, emotional well-being, and meaning. In a sample of university students, it was hypothesized that frequency of experience of the natural environment and the degree of meaning obtained from such experience would positively predict both well-being and environmental identity. Both hypotheses were partly supported. It was also hypothesized that participants who grew up in a rural location would report more meaning, stronger environmental identities, greater frequency of experience, and more positive well-being than would participants who grew up in urban and suburban environments. All these hypotheses were supported. The strengths and omissions of the present research and potential avenues for practical applications of the findings are discussed.