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Full text release has been delayed at the author's request until May 10, 2026

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The Role of Green Place Attachment and Sociodemographic Variables on the Nature-Wellbeing Chain

Jazi, Everly
http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3581-6715
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu161901033252246

Abstract Details

2021, Master of Science, Ohio State University, Environment and Natural Resources.
Research into restorative environments and health has provided evidence for physical and mental benefits received from natural settings, views of nature, and general biophilic aspects of the world (Frumkin et al., 2017). Questions remain, however, about the pathways and mechanisms of the nature-wellbeing chain, and whether these benefits are uniformly experienced across individual-level characteristics. The current research used a series of quasi-experimental studies to examine the degree to which differing levels of familiarity with green space influence change in psychological wellbeing and negative affect upon completing a series of two self-directed walks differing in level of naturalness. Participants (n=306) filled out pre- and post-test questionnaires on psychological wellbeing and negative affect, familiarity with natural spaces, sociodemographic and group identities, and changes the COVID-19 pandemic had on their recreation-based views and behavior. The study also established a framework to examine familiarity with nature through green place attachment. With the lens of this framework, disparities and discrepancies in benefits due to (dis)connection with natural spaces, recreation behavior, and social relationships around nature were further explored. The current work answered calls of previous nature and health agendas for categorization of variables and outcomes that will allow for synthesis across studies to build a deeper understanding of underlying processes and benefits from natural spaces on human health. Using a novel categorization technique to determine the naturalness of the unique walk routes chosen by participants while controlling for their individual deviations from norm naturalness perceptions—the current study explored individual-level manifestations of the equigenic effect, characterized by previous studies as low-income households experiencing a proportionally larger wellbeing increase with a steeper slope than advantaged peers’ wellbeing change as neighborhood access to green space increases (Mitchell et al., 2015). The results of the current study indicate a differential impact of the naturalness of the walks on psychological wellbeing, with those on more natural walks experiencing higher change in wellbeing over the course of the second walk. However, this improvement was not uniform for all individuals (e.g., class had a negative effect). Both the walk naturalness categorization method and the framework of green place attachment were seen to be valid and reliable through preliminary tests. Future research can use these methods to understand individual-level differences of green space benefits, while incorporating experimental research on the equigenic theory which has primarily been analyzed in observational studies.
Alia Dietsch, Ph.D. (Advisor)
Kristi Lekies, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Kerry Ard, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
146 p.
Environmental Health; Environmental Studies; Epidemiology; Psychological Tests; Psychology; Sociology
wellbeing; psychological wellbeing; equity; equigenic; health disparity; green space; nature; built environment; social determinants of health; COVID-19

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Jazi, E. (2021). The Role of Green Place Attachment and Sociodemographic Variables on the Nature-Wellbeing Chain [Master's thesis, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu161901033252246

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Jazi, Everly. The Role of Green Place Attachment and Sociodemographic Variables on the Nature-Wellbeing Chain . 2021. Ohio State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu161901033252246.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Jazi, Everly. "The Role of Green Place Attachment and Sociodemographic Variables on the Nature-Wellbeing Chain ." Master's thesis, Ohio State University, 2021. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu161901033252246

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu161901033252246
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This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.