Chapter 1: History, Scope and Methods

Environmental Psychology

Leah Dougherty

• Studies the relationship between people and their environments
• Examines both natural and built environments
• Looks at how environments affect behavior, experiences, and well-being
• Also examines how human behavior impacts the environment
• Applies psychology to real-world environmental problems
• Focuses on finding solutions while maintaining quality of life and well-being

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Introduction

What is Environmental Psychology?

Chapter Focus:

History • Scope • Sustainability • Problem-Focused Research • Research Methods

• Egon Brunswik
• Kurt Lewin

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• Environmental psychology became recognized as a field in the late 1960s
• Earlier influential scholars included:

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History of Environmental Psychology

• Brunswik emphasized the relationship between the organism and its environment
• Lewin emphasized that behavior is a function of the person and environment

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Development of the Field

• Shift toward architectural psychology
• Focused on relationships between people and physical environments

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1940s–1950s

• Greater focus on environmental issues
• Development of sustainability and “green psychology”
• Increasing attention to human behavior and environmental problems

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Late 1960s onward

Environmental Problems

• Economic prospects
• Food security
• Water security

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Human behavior is a major cause of many environmental problems.

• Climate change
• Pollution
• Deforestation
• Health

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Environmental psychology addresses issues such as:

Sustainability

🌱 Environmental

• Protecting the natural environment

👥 Social

• Considering human well-being and society

💰 Economic

• Considering economic conditions and prospects

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Sustainability has three aspects:

Environmental psychology examines how these areas relate to human behavior.

Four Characteristics of Environmental Psychology

1. Human–Environment Interactions

Studies the relationship between people and their surroundings.

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2. Interdisciplinary

Draws from different fields of study.

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3. Applied / Problem-Focused

Focuses on solving real-life problems.

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4. Diversity of Methods

Uses different research methods depending on the question.

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Why Is It Interdisciplinary?

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• Architecture & geography
• Physical and spatial aspects of environments
• Social & cognitive psychology
• Theories and research methods
• Environmental sciences
• Environmental impacts of human behavior

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Environmental psychology brings together different areas of knowledge:

No single discipline can fully explain human–environment interactions.

The Problem-Focused Approach

• Environmental psychology is not only about scientific curiosity
• Research is used to address real-life problems
• Theory can help identify effective solutions
• Problems can be studied at different scales:

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Local

• Littering
• Recycling

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Regional/National

• Species loss
• Ecological restoration

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Global

• Climate change
• New technologies

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Case Studies & Examples

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• Questionnaires
• Laboratory experiments
• Simulation studies
• Field studies
• Case studies

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Environmental psychologists use

Each method has different strengths and weaknesses.

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Researchers can use multiple methods to provide a more complete understanding of a problem.

Internal vs. External Validity

Internal Validity

• The extent to which researchers can establish causal relationships
• Stronger when researchers have greater control

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External Validity

• The extent to which findings can be generalized to other populations and settings
• Stronger when research reflects real-world conditions

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The challenge:

More control ↔ More realism

Researchers may use different methods to balance these limitations.

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Conclusion

What We Learned From Chapter 1

• Environmental psychology studies people and their environments
• The field developed from earlier work in psychology and environmental design
• It is interdisciplinary, applied and problem-focused
• Environmental psychologists study environmental problems at different scales
• There is no single research method that works for every question
• Researchers must consider internal and external validity
• Using different methods can provide a more complete understanding of human–environment interactions