Mindful learning can promote connectedness to nature: Implicit and explicit evidence.
Environmental problems have attracted increasing attention, yet individuals' connectedness to nature remains a significant concern for potential solutions to these problems. In this article, we propose a novel method to promote connectedness to nature: mindful learning. One hundred and thirty-four students participated in the experiment. First, baseline measurements using the Connectedness to Nature Scale were obtained. Participants were then assigned to either a mindful or mindless learning condition. Finally, as a posttest, participants completed the Implicit Association Test and the Inclusion of Nature in the Self Scale. The performance of the mindful-learning group was better for both measures. Participants in the mindful-learning condition performed better on the Implicit Association Test and scored higher on the Inclusion of Nature in the Self Scale. These results provide empirical evidence that mindful learning may promote connectedness to nature, both implicitly and explicitly.
Department of Psychology, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.
Xue
X
Wang
Department of Psychology, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China. Electronic address: gengliuna@nju.edu.cn.
Liuna
L
Geng
Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Environmental Protection, Nanjing, China. Electronic address: zhoukexin@aliyun.com.
Kexin
K
Zhou
Department of Psychology, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.
Lijuan
L
Ye
Business College, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA.
Yinglin
Y
Ma
Department of Psychology, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.
Shuhao
S
Zhang
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002681:China; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male; D064866:Mindfulness / Q000379:methods*; D019368:Nature; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult
Connectedness to nature; Implicit Association Test (IAT); Mindful learning