What is environmental psychology and why is it important?

Dr. Lindsay McCunn explains

Did you know our physical environments can have a big impact on our health and well-being? Environmental psychologist Dr. Lindsay McCunn, a Vancouver Island University (VIU) Psychology Professor, studies how and why our environments impact individuals and what we can do to improve our relationship with the world around us. She recently shared her knowledge in a Ducks Unlimited article about the importance of spending time in nature for our mental health. Another recent project was working with Island Health to consider which design features in the new Cowichan District Hospital may improve employee well-being. McCunn explains what environmental psychology is all about and why it’s important.

What is environmental psychology?

Environmental psychology is a subfield of the broader discipline of psychology. It focuses on the transactions between individuals and their physical surroundings. Environmental psychologists work to understand how people sense, perceive and remember the various places they encounter. Where we are affects how we think, feel and behave, whether it is a natural setting – like a park or a beach – or a built environment – like a busy urban core. Environmental psychologists study how to alter the design of buildings to improve well-being indoors. They also explore how attitudes and behaviours correspond to environmental issues like climate change and resource management. Lighting, acoustics, crowding, territoriality and spatial cognition are also examined in this field.

In what settings does environmental psychology apply?

Environmental psychology can be applied to almost any setting at many scales. For example:

• Small-scale: Residential homes, hospital rooms
• Medium-scale: Neighbourhoods, offices, prisons, schools, libraries
• Large-scale: Provincial parks, cities.

Environmental psychology can also measure how people function in isolated and confined environments, such as on the International Space Station. It can also help architects design custom homes, and urban planners develop ideas for public infrastructure.

What are some basic ways that people can use environmental psychology to impact mental health?

Recognizing that our environment can affect our emotions and mood, as well as our physiological health, is important. When we emotionally bond with a particular place, or sense a “person-environment fit” with a setting, we tend to want to protect it. Our mental health is substantially affected by place attachment and place identity. Environmental psychologists study how exposure to nature (and how connected we feel to it) can benefit us. The frequency with which we spend time in nature plays a significant role in well-being—sometimes more so than the length of time we spend in nature. Creating awareness about how a natural setting (or even a view of a nature scene) can improve attention and lower stress levels can lead to healthy decision-making.