The Impact of Gratitude on Connection With Nature: The Mediating Role of Positive Emotions of Self-Transcendence

Impact of ecological presence in virtual reality tourism on enhancing tourists' environmentally responsible behavior

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.

Self-transcendent experiences as promoters of ecological wellbeing? Exploration of the evidence and hypotheses to be tested

In recent years, much has been written on the role of different mental states and their potential to influence our way of thinking and, perhaps more importantly, the way we act. With the recent acceleration of environmental and mental health issues, alongside the limited effectiveness of existing interventions, an exploration of new approaches to deliver transformative change is required. We therefore explore the emerging potential of a type of mental state known as self-transcendent experiences (STEs) as a driver of ecological wellbeing. We focus on four types of STEs: those facilitated by experiences of flow, awe, and mindfulness, as well as by psychedelic-induced experiences. Some of these experiences can occur naturally, through sometimes unexpected encounters with nature or during immersion in every-day activities that one intrinsically enjoys, as well as through more intentional practices such as meditation or the administration of psychedelics in controlled, legal settings. We explore the evidence base linking each of the four types of STE to ecological wellbeing before proposing potential hypotheses to be tested to understand why STEs can have such beneficial effects. We end by looking at the factors that might need to be considered if STEs are going to be practically implemented as a means of achieving ecological wellbeing.