ORCID
- Kayleigh J. Wyles: 0000-0003-3205-9595
Abstract
Contact with natural environments is associated with good health and well-being. Although childhood nature experiences may be important in the development of an individual's relationship with nature and subsequent well-being, previous studies have tended to focus on ‘nature’ in general, and the mechanisms by which childhood experiences influence well-being in adulthood remain insufficiently studied. Drawing on cross-sectional survey data from an 18-country sample (N = 15,743) the current work extended previous research by examining: a) blue spaces (coasts, rivers, lakes, etc.) in particular; b) associations between adults' recalled childhood exposure to blue spaces, frequency of recent visits to green and blues spaces, and adult subjective well-being; c) the role of childhood exposure to blue spaces on intrinsic motivations to spend time in nature; and d) the consistency of these relationships across different countries. Tests of a model where childhood exposure to blue spaces was linked to adult subjective well-being serially through intrinsic motivation and then recent blue and green space visits exhibited a good fit, a pattern largely consistent across all 18 countries. However, an alternative model where recent visits predicted intrinsic motivation also demonstrated good fit, indicating that these processes may be iterative. Building familiarity with and confidence in and around blue spaces in childhood may stimulate a joy of, and greater propensity to spend recreational time in, nature in adulthood, with positive consequences for adult subjective well-being.
DOI Link
Publication Date
2022-12-01
Publication Title
Journal of Environmental Psychology
Volume
84
ISSN
0272-4944
Acceptance Date
2022-09-19
Deposit Date
2022-07-11
Embargo Period
2024-11-03
Funding
This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under Grant Agreement No. 666773 (BlueHealth). Data collection in California was supported by the Center for Conservation Biology, Stanford University. Data collection in Canada was supported by the Faculty of Forestry, University of British Columbia. Data collection in Finland was supported by the Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke). Data collection in Australia was supported by Griffith University and the University of the Sunshine Coast. Data collection in Portugal was supported by ISCTE—University Institute of Lisbon. Data collection in Ireland was supported by the Environmental Protection Agency, Ireland. Data collection in Hong Kong was supported by an internal University of Exeter—Chinese University of Hong Kong international collaboration fund. The funders had no role in the conceptualisation, design, analysis, decision to publish or preparation of the manuscript.
Keywords
WHO-5, Intrinsic motivation, Subjective well-being, Blue/green space, Cross-cultural analysis, Childhood
Recommended Citation
Vitale, V., Martin, L., White, M., Elliott, L., Wyles, K., Browning, M., Pahl, S., Stehl, P., Bell, S., Bratman, G., Gascon, M., Grellier, J., Lima, M., Lõhmus, M., Nieuwenhuijsen, M., Ojala, A., Taylor, J., van den Bosch, M., Weinstein, N., & Fleming, L. (2022) 'Mechanisms underlying childhood exposure to blue spaces and adult subjective well-being: An 18-country analysis', Journal of Environmental Psychology, 84. Available at: 10.1016/j.jenvp.2022.101876
