A Measure of Nature Connectedness for Children and Adults: Validation, Performance, and Insights

Abstract

With benefits to both human well-being and pro-nature conservation behaviors, nature connectedness is emerging as an important psychological construct for a sustainable future. The growing research and applied and policy-related interests require a straightforward measure of nature connectedness that is suitable for both children and adult populations. To establish the reliability of the new Nature Connection Index (NCI) three factor analyses were conducted. One was based on a large Monitor of Engagement with the Natural Environment (MENE) dataset for adults (n = 3568) with a replication from data sets collected online (n = 553), and a third used MENE data from children (n = 351). To validate the NCI as a measure for nature connectedness an online comparison study (n = 153) included the NCI alongside other established measures. The results showed that the NCI was a reliable and valid scale that offers a short, simple alternative to other measures of nature connectedness, particularly for populations including both children and adults, measured face to face or online. The utility of the NCI is also supported, with variations associated with various pro-environmental and pro-conservation behaviors observed, and importantly the NCI also revealed changes in nature connectedness across the lifespan.

Nature Connection in Early Childhood: A Quantitative Cross-Sectional Study

“…Interestingly, females of both settings showed higher empathy and responsibility towards nature. Previous literature in children and adults has found that females do tend to have a higher nature connection score overall [39], though, interestingly, this was not found in this study for the overall score. However, our findings relating to empathy could be an actual representation of females' increased empathy and responsibility, or a reflection of gender bias on the part of the reporting parent.…”

“…We do know that children who have nature-rich routines tend to be more empathetic towards non-human animals, as well as cognitively more aware of the human-nature relationship [37,38]. A recent cross-sectional study observed a higher nature connection in the youngest age group (7-9 years of age), with a steady decline to adulthood, and a recovery after age 30 [39]. Contrary to that recent evidence from children aged 4-11 suggests that their preference for natural environments is lower than that of adults, and is not necessarily related to nature exposure or nearby nature [40].…”

Childhood nature connection and constructive hope: A review of research on connecting with nature and coping with environmental loss

“…Aside from these increasing scores in very young children, a reverse pattern appears: scores for nature connection fall as young people move from early and middle childhood into adolescence. This pattern is evident in samples that, together, cover ages 7–21, coming from the United Kingdom (Hughes, Rogerson, Barton, & Bragg, 2019; Richardson et al., 2019), Germany (Liefländer, Fröhlich, Bogner, & Schultz, 2013), Canada (Crawford, Holder, & O'Connor, 2017; Krettenauer, 2017; Krettenauer, Wang, Jia, & Yao, 2019; Michaelson et al, 2020), the United States (Larson et al, 2017) and China (Krettenauer et al., 2019). In two large samples that included adults, Richardson et al.…”

“…(2013), only 9‐to 10‐year‐olds maintained significant gains in a 4‐week follow‐up assessment, compared to 11‐to 13‐year‐olds. This paper previously cited studies that found a greater sense of nature connection in school‐age children compared to adolescents (Hughes et al., 2019; Larson et al, 2017; Richardson et al., 2019). These evaluations of program interventions suggest that younger children may also be more receptive to initiatives designed to cultivate connection.…”

Missed opportunities for observation‐based ecology in the Next Generation Science Standards

“…If teachers adhere to the curriculum, students with an affinity for investigating the natural world or emerging observation skills will not have opportunities to explore their interests and deepen their knowledge or connection to the natural world. Thus, a chance to heighten biophilia during adolescence may be thwarted, at a time when students' connection to nature is typically low (Richardson et al, 2019).…”