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Why Spending Time by the Water in Childhood Fosters Eco-Consciousness in Adulthood

Getting your children used to being outdoors, even close to home, would give them a better awareness of their environment and increase their likelihood of adopting pro-environmental behavior. 

Why Spending Time by the Water in Childhood
Why Spending Time by the Water in Childhood

Not sure what to do to get your kids away from screens and boredom? Take them for a hike to your nearest lake or waterway! A study in Austria found that people who were exposed to blue spaces (like coastlines, rivers, and lakes) as children tended to feel more connected to nature as adults. The study was published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology.

 

The most environmentally friendly are those who have been close to nature.


The study aimed to determine the factors that influence the adoption of these pro-environmental behaviors. The researchers suggested that exposure to blue spaces during childhood could foster a deeper emotional connection with nature, which could then encourage environmentally responsible behaviors in adulthood.


The researchers collected data from 2,370 Austrian adults, representative of the population in terms of age, gender and region. The participants were aged between 18 and 89, and half of them were women. The participants were asked to describe various aspects of their daily environmental behaviour as well as their memories of exposure to blue spaces in childhood, the frequency of recent visits to blue and green spaces and their sense of connection with nature .


Results showed that participants who recalled frequent visits to the sea or lakes during childhood also reported stronger feelings of connection with nature and more frequent visits to natural environments in adulthood. These feelings of connection with nature were in turn associated with a greater likelihood of adopting pro-environmental behaviors.


A virtuous circle to share with your child


The researchers tested a statistical model that suggests a cause-and-effect relationship: childhood exposure to blue spaces strengthens connections to nature in adulthood, which then leads to more visits to natural landscapes, which ultimately translates into more environmentally friendly behaviors. The results confirmed this model, indicating that the pathway from childhood exposure to blue spaces to adult environmentalism is possible.


The researchers noted, however, that the direct relationship between childhood exposure to blue spaces and pro-environmental behavior in adulthood was weak. This suggests that while childhood experiences with nature can influence environmental behaviors later in life, the effect is relatively small.


A bond that works even better in little girls


The study also found some demographic differences. Women reported more environmentally friendly behaviors than men, although men reported visiting green spaces more frequently. Unemployed people also displayed more environmentally friendly behaviors than employed participants. Finally, participants from higher-income households spent more time in nature than those from lower-income households. Why Spending Time by the Water in Childhood


"Increasing detachment from the natural world may hinder the development of nature connectedness and PEBs [pro-environmental behaviors]. We provide evidence of a positive relationship between (recalled) exposure to blue spaces in childhood and PEBs in adulthood, which may be partly explained by adult nature connectedness and recent nature visits ," the study authors conclude.

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