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Pizza L, Kelemen D. "The Earth is Alive": Attributing Agency to the Earth Causes Moral Concern for the Environment and Biocentric Attitudes. Cogn Sci 2025; 49:e70052. [PMID: 40121557 DOI: 10.1111/cogs.70052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2024] [Revised: 02/26/2025] [Accepted: 02/28/2025] [Indexed: 03/25/2025]
Abstract
Do people need to attribute agency to nature to morally care for it? The answer to this question has significant implications for our understanding of social cognitive effects on moral judgment. Despite its relevance during an environmental crisis, surprisingly little is known about the answer. Across two studies, we explored whether attributing agency to nonhuman natural entities like the Earth has a causal influence on environmental moral concern and intrinsic valuing of nature (biocentrism). In Study 1, we used an experimental design, assigning U.S. urban adults to one of three videos about the history of Earth's ecosystems. Two of them described the Earth as an agent: either as a thoughtful person (psychological) or as a living animal (vitalist). The third described the Earth as a nonagentic object (control). Participants in either agentic condition showed greater environmental moral concern and biocentrism than participants in the nonagentic condition. In Study 2, we examined whether-absent any agency cues-a scientifically informative video about Earth's history would prompt environmental moral concern and have a greater effect than watching awe-inspiring depictions of the Earth or learning irrelevant information in a control condition. No significant differences were found. However, patterning with Study 1, individuals' tendencies to attribute mind to the Earth predicted environmental moral reasoning. Carefully invoked, vitalist agency attributions-which deviate less from scientific understandings of the Earth than psychological ones-can mobilize conservationist attitudes among U.S. adults. Overall, our results suggest that agentic attributions of life are required to engage significant moral concern.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lizette Pizza
- Department of Psychology, Harvard University
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University
| | - Deborah Kelemen
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University
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Wang B, Zhao B, Han C, Tang Y, Jin C. Harnessing the power of nature exposure to mitigate adolescents' Internet addiction: A chain mediation model. BRITISH JOURNAL OF DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY 2024; 42:566-582. [PMID: 39092867 DOI: 10.1111/bjdp.12516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2024] [Accepted: 07/20/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024]
Abstract
Previous studies have focused more on the facilitating effect of nature exposure on positive behavioural consequences. However, less attention has been paid to whether nature exposure can inhibit internalized problem behaviours, such as Internet addiction. Within the framework of the stimuli-organism-response theory, the present study examined the relationship between nature exposure and Internet addiction and investigated the mediating roles of anthropomorphism of nature and awe. In China, we recruited 1469 adolescents (mean age = 13.90 years old, SD = 0.59, 53.2% girls). Mediation analyses indicated that awe partially mediated the relationship between nature exposure and adolescents' Internet addiction. The anthropomorphism of nature and awe served as sequential mediating roles in the relationship between nature exposure and adolescents' Internet addiction. This study provides a nature-based perspective on the prevention and intervention of adolescents' Internet addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bochen Wang
- Department of Psychology, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
| | - Baobao Zhao
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Assessment toward Basic Education Quality, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Cijie Han
- Department of Psychology, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
| | - Yuhan Tang
- Department of Psychology, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
| | - Cancan Jin
- Department of Psychology, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
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Mancuso V, Borghesi F, Chirico A, Bruni F, Sarcinella ED, Pedroli E, Cipresso P. IAVRS-International Affective Virtual Reality System: Psychometric Assessment of 360° Images by Using Psychophysiological Data. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 24:4204. [PMID: 39000988 PMCID: PMC11244389 DOI: 10.3390/s24134204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2024] [Revised: 06/24/2024] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024]
Abstract
Virtual Reality is an effective technique for eliciting emotions. It provides immersive and ecologically valid emotional experiences while maintaining experimental control. Recently, novel VR forms like 360° videos have been used successfully for emotion elicitation. Some preliminary databases of 360° videos for emotion elicitation have been proposed, but they tapped mainly into an emotional dimensional approach and did not include a concurrent physiological assessment of an emotional profile. This study expands on these databases by combining dimensional and discrete approaches to validate a new set of 360° emotion-inducing images. Twenty-six participants viewed 46 immersive images, and their emotional reactions were measured using self-reporting, psychophysiological signals, and eye tracking. The IAVRS database can successfully elicit a wide range of emotional responses, including both positive and negative valence, as well as different levels of arousal. Results reveal an important correspondence between the discrete and dimensional models of emotions. Furthermore, the images that exhibit convergence between the dimensional and discrete emotional models are particularly impactful regarding arousal and valence values. The IAVRS database provides insights into potential relationships between physiological parameters and emotional responses. This preliminary investigation highlights the complexity of emotional elicitation processes and their physiological correlates, suggesting the need for further research to deepen our understanding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Mancuso
- Faculty of Psychology, eCampus University, 22060 Novedrate, Italy; (V.M.); (F.B.)
| | - Francesca Borghesi
- Department of Psychology, University of Turin, 10124 Turin, Italy; (F.B.); (P.C.)
| | - Alice Chirico
- Department of Psychology, Research Center in Communication Psychology, Catholic Universiry of the Sacred Heart, 20123 Milan, Italy; (A.C.); (E.D.S.)
| | - Francesca Bruni
- Faculty of Psychology, eCampus University, 22060 Novedrate, Italy; (V.M.); (F.B.)
| | - Eleonora Diletta Sarcinella
- Department of Psychology, Research Center in Communication Psychology, Catholic Universiry of the Sacred Heart, 20123 Milan, Italy; (A.C.); (E.D.S.)
| | - Elisa Pedroli
- Faculty of Psychology, eCampus University, 22060 Novedrate, Italy; (V.M.); (F.B.)
- Department of Geriatrics and Cardiovascular Medicine, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, 20149 Milan, Italy
| | - Pietro Cipresso
- Department of Psychology, University of Turin, 10124 Turin, Italy; (F.B.); (P.C.)
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van Horen F, Meijers MHC, Zhang Y, Delaney M, Nezami A, Van Lange PAM. Observing the earth from space: Does a virtual reality overview effect experience increase pro-environmental behaviour? PLoS One 2024; 19:e0299883. [PMID: 38809878 PMCID: PMC11135769 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0299883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024] Open
Abstract
Astronauts (and recently businessmen) often express a renewed sense of responsibility for taking care of the environment, after observing the overwhelming beauty of Earth from space. Despite recent attention for this "overview effect", it is unclear whether experiencing the effect directly impacts pro-environmental behaviour. Using a virtual reality experience, the current research tests in two experimental studies the direct impact of an immersive overview effect experience on both short-term and longer term subsequent pro-environmental behaviours (donating to an environmental NGO, consuming less diary and meat). Furthermore, it investigates whether the technological immersiveness of the VR experience amplifies the effect, and the mediating role of connectedness to nature. Results show no effects of the short (7 minutes) overview effect VR video on pro-environmental behaviour (Study 1). For the longer video (15 minutes, Study 2), the results showed that the most immersive experience (video featuring meditative music and voice-over) appeared to increase connection with nature and higher donation amounts to an eco-NGO, but not significantly. No effects were found for subsequent meat and dairy consumption behaviours (measured on day 2, 4, and 6). These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the specific features determining the effectiveness of the overview effect experiences on actual pro-environmental behaviour, providing important insights to businesses and educational institutions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Femke van Horen
- Marketing Department, School of Business and Economics, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Marijn H. C. Meijers
- Communication Science Department, Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Universiteit van Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Yerong Zhang
- Marketing Department, School of Business and Economics, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Michael Delaney
- Communication Science Department, Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Universiteit van Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Annahita Nezami
- Human Factors and Settlement Department, Kepler Space Institute, Bradenton, Florida, United States of America
- Royal Society of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce, London, United Kingdom
| | - Paul A. M. Van Lange
- Department of Experimental and Applied Psychology, Faculty of Behavioral and Movement Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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Su Z, Lei B, Lu D, Lai S, Zhang X. Impact of ecological presence in virtual reality tourism on enhancing tourists' environmentally responsible behavior. Sci Rep 2024; 14:5939. [PMID: 38467806 PMCID: PMC10928231 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-56615-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024] Open
Abstract
In an era where environmental conservation is increasingly critical, identifying pathways through which technological innovations like virtual reality tourism (VRT) can promote sustainable behaviors is vital. This study investigates the impact of 'ecological presence', a newly proposed sub-dimension of presence in VRT, on tourists' environmentally responsible behavior (TERB). Through structural equation modeling and fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis of data from 290 participants, we unveil that ecological presence-defined as the authenticity and immersion of tourists in virtual ecological environments-significantly bolsters biospheric values, environmental self-identity, and personal norms. Additionally, our findings indicate that ecological presence in VRT indirectly promotes TERB, predominantly through the mediation of enhanced biospheric values and environmental self-identity. Notably, ecological presence, biospheric values, and environmental self-identity constitutes a sufficient condition for achieving a high level of TERB. This research highlights the potential of VRT as an innovative tool for tourism administrators to foster environmental stewardship, offering a novel approach to leveraging technology for conservation efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Su
- Department of Tourism Management, Business School, Guangxi University, No. 100 East Daxue Road, Nanning, 530004, China
- Guangxi Development Strategy Institute, Nanning, 530004, China
- Key Laboratory of Interdisciplinary Science of Statistics and Management, Nanning, 530004, China
| | - Biman Lei
- Department of Tourism Management, Business School, Guangxi University, No. 100 East Daxue Road, Nanning, 530004, China
| | - Dandan Lu
- Department of Tourism Management, Business School, Guangxi University of Finance and Economics, Nanning, 530008, China.
| | - Shuchen Lai
- Department of Tourism Management, Business School, Guangxi University, No. 100 East Daxue Road, Nanning, 530004, China
| | - Xijing Zhang
- Department of Tourism Management, Business School, Guangxi University, No. 100 East Daxue Road, Nanning, 530004, China
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Correction to: ''Standing Up for Earth Rights'': Awe-Inspiring Virtual Nature for Promoting Pro-Environmental Behaviors, by Chirico, et al. Cyberpsychol Behav Soc Netw 2023;26(4):300-308; doi: 10.1089/cyber.2022.0260. CYBERPSYCHOLOGY, BEHAVIOR AND SOCIAL NETWORKING 2023; 26:727. [PMID: 37552852 DOI: 10.1089/cyber.2022.0260.correx] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/10/2023]
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