An Introduction of Environmental Psychology (Research Paper Sample)

Environmental Psychology Student’s name Institutional Affiliation Professor Date Environmental Psychology Environmental psychology is a relatively new discipline of psychology, having been established in the late 1960s. It is an interdisciplinary area of study that integrates both physical and social sciences to investigate the relationships between humans and their physical environments. This includes the study of how people's attitudes and behaviors are influenced by their physical environment, as well as how people's behaviors can shape and alter their environments (Spencer & Gee, 2009). The discipline has become increasingly popular over the past few decades, as the impacts of climate change become more evident and the need to understand how humans interact with their surroundings has become more pressing. The development of environmental psychology can be traced back to the 1950s when the field emerged in response to the increasing environmental degradation caused by industrialization. As a field, the subject was pioneered by two psychologists, Robert Gifford and Roger Ulrich, who were the pioneering team that recognized the importance of studying how the environment impacts the on human behavior. They argued that it was necessary to understand how people interact with their environment in order to create more livable cities. The advancement of technology and the increasing availability of data have enabled researchers to more accurately measure and analyze the impact of the environment on human. This has led to an increased understanding of how the environment influences our behaviors and how we can create healthier and more sustainable cities. The practical applications of environmental psychology are numerous. It can be used to inform urban planning and design decisions, such as the placement of green spaces or the use of public transportation as indicated by Gifford (2014). Environmental psychology can be used to inform public health initiatives, such as the promotion of exercise and healthy eating habits. Additionally, this field can be used to improve the quality of life in public spaces, such as parks and playgrounds. In attempt to illustrate the development, disciplinary significance, and practical application of environmental psychology, consider the case of the “Greening of the Built Environment” in the United States. In the late 1960s, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was established as a federal agency to protect human health and the environment. As part of this effort, the EPA began to focus on the "greening" of the built environment, which entails the integration of nature into the design of buildings, neighborhoods, and cities. The development of environmental psychology can be seen in the EPA's efforts to design and implement green building and urban planning guidelines. These guidelines were based on the principles of environmental psychology, which focus on how people interact with their environment and how their environment can influence their behavior. For example, the guidelines included suggestions for the use of natural elements in the design of buildings, such as plants and trees, as well as the use of natural lighting and ventilation. The idea was that these elements would not only improve the aesthetics of the built environment but also provide a calming and restorative atmosphere that would encourage people to engage in positive behaviors. The disciplinary significance of environmental psychology can be seen in its ability to inform the design of the built environment. By providing evidence-based research on how people interact with their environment, environmental psychologists are able to guide how best to design spaces that are both aesthetically pleasing and conducive to positive behavior. Environmental psychologists are interested in how environmental factors influence a person's behavior. For example, they may study how people respond to different types of architecture, how different types of lighting can affect mood, or how people's interaction with nature can affect their mental health (Gifford, 2017). Environmental psychologists are also interested in how the physical environment can influence social dynamics, such as how people interact with one another in different kinds of spaces and how the built environment can shape the way people interact and behave. The discipline of environmental psychology has many practical applications. It can inform urban design and planning, helping to create healthier, more livable cities. It can also inform product design, helping to create products better suited to user needs. The insights gained from environmental psychology can also inform public policy decisions, helping to create policies that people are designed to serve. Overall, environmental psychology is a valuable area of research that can provide essential insights into how people interact with their environment. By understanding how people are affected by their environment, we can create better designed urban and rural areas, products, and public policy decisions that will lead to a healthier, happier, and more equitable world. The concept of environmental psychology has been invaluable in informing the design of cities, buildings, and neighborhoods, as well as providing guidance on how to create green spaces that are beneficial for both people and the environment, as illustrated below: * Environmental psychology has the potential to inform public policy and urban planning decisions. It can be used to inform decisions about how to design cities and communities in ways that optimize human wellbeing and environmental sustainability. * Environmental psychology can help identify potential environmental stressors that may affect public health. This can be used to inform decisions about how to reduce exposure to these stressors and protect public health. * The subject can help identify barriers to access natural resources. This can be used to inform decisions about how to make these resources more accessible. * Environmental psychology can inform decisions about how to promote pro-environmental behavior. It can help identify the factors that influence people’s behavior and develop strategies to increase pro-environmental behavior. * Particularly, environmental psychology can be used to make informed decisions about how to best use natural resources. It can help identify ways to use resources more efficiently and sustainably. The practical application of environmental psychology can be seen in the increasing number of green building and urban planning initiatives around the world. In the United States, for example, the EPA's green building guidelines have been adopted by many cities and states, and green building certification programs have become commonplace. Similarly, green urban planning initiatives have been implemented in many cities to create both aesthetically pleasing and environmentally friendly sustainable cities. In conclusion, the case of the "Greening of the Built Environment" in the United States provides a good example of the development, disciplinary significance, and practical application of environmental psychology. By providing evidence-based research on how people interact with their environment, environmental psychologists are able to inform the design of the built environment in ways that are both aesthetically pleasing and conducive to positive behavior. In addition, the increasing number of green building and urban planning initiatives around the world illustrate the practical application of environmental psychology, as these initiatives are designed to create sustainable cities that are both aesthetically pleasing and environmentally friendly. An overview of concepts and theories of environmental psychology Although there is no shortage of theories in environmental psychology that attempt to explain our behaviors in relation to our surroundings, most of them may be categorized under one of three broad schools of thought: * Predetermination by Geography * Gestalt Psychology * Conservation Biology * Behaviorism According to the theory of geographical determinism, natural variables such as geography, temperature, vegetation, and water supply determine the rise and fall of whole cultures. These theorists argue that environmental challenges, both large and little, may have negative effects on human societies, with the former leading to the collapse of such societies and the latter to their cultural stagnation. Even more significantly, these environmental influences may have a significant effect on the values of a society and the ways in which its members interact and cooperate with one another. Theories of biological and social interaction between organisms and their environment provide the backbone of the ecological biology approach. From this vantage point, living things are not seen as distinct from their surroundings but rather as essential components of it. This allows us to investigate the systemic and interdependent relationships between the two. The behaviorists added a focus on the importance of context, arguing that not only the external environment but also one's internal context (such as one's character, upbringing, worldview, and prior experiences) play significant roles in shaping one's actions. Despite its enhanced emphasis on environmental elements, behaviorism typically went out of style as the main paradigm in psychology. Gestalt psychology, on the other hand, represented the opposing viewpoint to behaviorism. Whereas behaviorists often focused only on behavior, Gestalt psychologists were more interested in how the mind processed information. The emphasis was on how individuals interpreted environmental cues rather than on the stimuli themselves (Theories in environmental psychology-environmental psychology-handout | Exercises environmental psychology | Docsity, n.d.). We may go into f...