Psicología ambiental y ecopsicología en edad evolutivaaspectos cognitivos afectivos y relacionales

Abstract

The research theoretical assumptions are postulated by psychology and ecopsychology. Ecopsychology and environmental psychology study the individual-environment relationship, highlighting the benefits that contact with nature can produce in individuals with cognitive, affective, individual and relational benefits. The objectives of the research has set out to achieve are as follow: explore the relationship, the perception, the experiences that children have with nature; explore relationships and experiences that children have towards plants, natural open spaces and animals; develop a sense of belonging to the territory; evaluate the perception of the degree of connection to nature; evaluate the behavior in the classroom mode, with peers, with operators; assess whether contact with nature changes and facilitates learning processes, relational mode, expression of emotions; provide a play-recreation nature space for primary school children; promote cultural paths that aim to enhance the “re-discovery” of nature; recognise predispositions, resources, attitudes of the individual, thus enhancing the subjectivity and individualism, addressing in specific, the pathways in the individual-environment relationship; create and offer the natural spaces where children can express feelings, emotions, needs; raising awareness of environmental issues; evaluate the sensitivity and knowledge that children have with respect to the environmental crisis; creation of a planning mentality; create a network; assessment of the effects that natural laboratories can have on child welfare; educational evaluation of the impact and “re-balancing” of nature. The research involved the activation of natural laboratories in the fourth and fifth years of a primary state school in Palermo, running an entire school year on a weekly basis (as an experimental group). At the end of the project, the CNS (Connectedness to Nature Scale) and NRS (Nature Relatedness Scale) were used as two research samples: the experimental group, and a smooth control group for age, gender, class. The results show a significant statistical difference between the two groups, and act as evidence of how the research has been able to validate the assumptions and achieved the set out goals. The analysis of the tools and the field experience show how environmental education and research carried out should not be limited to the space of a year of research, but instead should become a constant laboratory, that has continuity in primary schools, as well as in secondary. The nature hikes, separate collection, the gardens in schools should be conceived and planned in the training programs of primary and scecondary schools.