Cognitive Biophilia: A Semantic Concept Mental Representation Analysis of Ecology in Children

Abstract

Two samples of children, one having low exposure to ecological environments and another one having high exposure to ecological environments, were required to take a semantic concept mental representation study by using a natural semantic net technique. The goal was to explore cognitive biophilia signification (meaning formation) between groups considering kind of exposure to natural settings and gender of participants. Results showed that even when all groups possess similar ecology knowledge (similar to a lay person knowledge of ecology), they impose different meaning formation on their semantic concept organization. It is argued that by considering an assessment of ecology meaning formation, awareness of cognitive biophilia and connection to natural ecology can be improved through educational settings.