A1 Journal article (refereed)
More Time Children Spend in Nature During Preschool Is Associated with a Greater Sense of Responsibility for Nature : A Study in Finland (2021)

Savolainen, K. (2021). More Time Children Spend in Nature During Preschool Is Associated with a Greater Sense of Responsibility for Nature : A Study in Finland. Ecopsychology, 13(4), 265-275. https://doi.org/10.1089/eco.2021.0006

JYU authors or editors

Publication details

All authors or editors: Savolainen, Katri

Journal or series: Ecopsychology

eISSN: 1942-9347

Publication year: 2021

Publication date: 07/07/2021

Volume: 13

Issue number: 4

Pages range: 265-275

Publisher: Mary Ann Liebert Inc

Publication country: United States

Publication language: English

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1089/eco.2021.0006

Publication open access: Openly available

Publication channel open access: Partially open access channel

Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/77050

Abstract

Nature connectedness is an important factor underlying proenvironmental behavior. Only little is known on the aspects that influence nature connectedness in younger children. The study participants included 150 children at mean age of 6.5 years. Eighty-five of them attended nature-preschool that offers on average 13.1 h/week, and 65 of them typical preschool that offers on average 1.7 h/week, of their education in nature. Nature connectedness was measured with the connection to nature index. The regular visits to nature during preschool were associated with a higher sense of responsibility for nature (p = 0.013). The regular visits to nature during preschool, sex, parent's nature connectedness, or socioeconomic status (SES) were, however, not associated with overall nature connectedness. Children with lower SES scored higher in the enjoyment of nature than the children with higher SES (p = 0.029). Offering the children regular nature experiences in preschool may be beneficial for developing responsibility toward nature. Incongruent with previous studies, overall nature connectedness was high in all the children, regardless of the time they spent in nature during preschool.

Keywords: children (age groups); preschool; preschool pupils; environmental education; nature teaching; relation to nature; parents; socioeconomic factors

Free keywords: nature connectedness; nature-preschool; sense of responsibility; socioeconomic status; parent’s nature connectedness; sex

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Ministry reporting: Yes

VIRTA submission year: 2021

JUFO rating: 1