Linking biodiversity perception with restorativeness: Mechanism and moderators

Abstract

This study contributes to research on the restorative capacity of contact with nature by investigating a novel process mechanism, including important boundary conditions, and by linking restorativeness with behavioral intentions relevant to businesses. We develop and test a conditional process model where people's momentary feelings of being one with nature (state nature connectedness) mediate effects of perception of biodiversity on restorativeness, in turn, stimulating behavioral intentions (to visit the place, to purchase products from there and to engage in positive word-of-mouth). This novel mechanism was tested against two boundary conditions: an individual's frequency of exposure to nature and their need-for-deceleration. Results from three studies (N₁ = 71; N₂ = 258; N₃ = 301) strongly support the mediating role of state connectedness with nature on restorativeness with positive downstream effects on behavioral intention. While we found no moderating effect of frequency of nature exposure on the relationship between perceived biodiversity and state nature connectedness, the relationship between connectedness and restorativeness gets weaker as levels of a need-for-deceleration increased. Including an alternative process explanation through aesthetics along with a number of control variables attests to the mechanism's robustness. Implications center on the power of perceptions of higher biodiversity to work through a heightened feeling of connectedness with nature, in turn improving restorativeness and stimulating behavioral intentions.