Menghan Guo , Gengyuan Liu , Zhaomao Huo , Weicen Chang , Dan Zhang , Jiahua Li , Xinzhao Dai , Alessandra Romano , Francesco Gonella
{"title":"Unpacking the heterogeneity: A global meta-analysis and multidimensional framework for urban green space and mental health","authors":"Menghan Guo , Gengyuan Liu , Zhaomao Huo , Weicen Chang , Dan Zhang , Jiahua Li , Xinzhao Dai , Alessandra Romano , Francesco Gonella","doi":"10.1016/j.jenvp.2026.103087","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jenvp.2026.103087","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Urban green spaces (UGS) are increasingly recognized as vital for mental health within the One Health framework. However, evidence regarding their psychological benefits remains inconsistent across different regions and methodologies. Adhering to PRISMA guidelines, this study presents a comprehensive global meta-analysis and systematic review of 45 quantitative studies published between 2020 and 2025, covering over 3.85 million participants from over 20 countries. Using a random-effects model, we identify a robust positive association between UGS exposure and mental health (<span><math><mrow><mi>p</mi><mi>o</mi><mi>o</mi><mi>l</mi><mi>e</mi><mi>d</mi><mspace></mspace><mi>r</mi><mo>≈</mo><mn>0.263</mn><mo>,</mo><mi>p</mi><mo><</mo><mn>0.001</mn></mrow></math></span>). Notably, the analysis reveals significant heterogeneity driven by urban morphology, highlighting a density-dependent paradox. High-density Asian metropolises exhibit a strong protective effect (<span><math><mrow><mi>r</mi><mo>=</mo><mn>0.319</mn></mrow></math></span>), acting as urban oases, whereas sprawling North American contexts show a much weaker association (<span><math><mrow><mi>r</mi><mo>=</mo><mn>0.059</mn></mrow></math></span>), suggesting a saturation point where marginal returns diminish. Furthermore, indicators of visual perception (<span><math><mrow><mi>r</mi><mo>=</mo><mn>0.578</mn></mrow></math></span>) show significantly stronger associations than objective quantity metrics (<span><math><mrow><mi>r</mi><mo>=</mo><mn>0.228</mn></mrow></math></span>). Further pathway analysis reveals that mental health benefits are mediated hierarchically, primarily through psychological pathways, followed by physiological and social mechanisms. To address the limitations of static metrics and current methodological inconsistencies, we propose a unified Spatiotemporal Coupling framework. This approach integrates standardized structural, functional, and experiential exposure metrics with dynamic mental health assessments to advance our global understanding of how urban nature fosters psychological resilience.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48439,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Psychology","volume":"112 ","pages":"Article 103087"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148185453","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Violetta Vysevkova, Dominika Rabinska , Jason M. Thomas, Claire Farrow, James Reynolds
{"title":"Explaining support for environmental public policies through the value-belief-norm theory: A systematic review with meta-analysis","authors":"Violetta Vysevkova, Dominika Rabinska , Jason M. Thomas, Claire Farrow, James Reynolds","doi":"10.1016/j.jenvp.2026.103071","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jenvp.2026.103071","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":48439,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Psychology","volume":"112 ","pages":"Article 103071"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148185282","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Why do people embrace renewable and sustainable energy technologies for mitigation and geoengineering for adaptation? Explore norms, emotions, and attitudes driving social acceptance","authors":"Milani Alessandro , Dessi Federica , Bonaiuto Marino","doi":"10.1016/j.jenvp.2026.102935","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jenvp.2026.102935","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The global push for sustainable energy and green technologies intensifies to achieve ecological and energy transitions. A key part of this challenge lies in ensuring society accepts both emerging and already available technologies. This study unravels the psychological drivers behind why people embrace or reject renewable and sustainable energy technologies for mitigation and geoengineering for adaptation, spotlighting the powerful interplay of personal (moral) and social norms as well as affective responses to risks and benefits. Using a multi-method approach combining path and psychometric network analyses, the research examines how these factors influence public attitudes (acceptability) and intentions (acceptance). Findings highlight personal and social norms directly and indirectly (through acceptability mediation) influence acceptance (intention to support, use, and pay for the technologies). In contrast, affective responses directly influence the intention to support and indirectly (through acceptability mediation) influence the intention to use and pay for the technologies. Moreover, results reveal that geoengineering technologies rely heavily on perceptions of necessity to garner acceptance, whereas renewable and sustainable energy technologies elicit more complex affective and evaluative reactions, reflecting their greater diffusion and the more sophisticated cognitive and emotional appraisals people have developed toward them. The results demonstrate the importance of leveraging normative influence (personal and social), fostering positive affective engagement, and considering necessity a key driver of acceptance. This research advances the understanding of societal acceptance dynamics, offering practical strategies to target key social-psychological variables to overcome individual's barriers and facilitate the transition to sustainable energy systems and innovative technologies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48439,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Psychology","volume":"110 ","pages":"Article 102935"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146173120","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Eleanor Ratcliffe , Richard M. Clarke , Amanda Gabriel , Clara Weber , Charles Musselwhite , Hebba Haddad , Simone Grassini , Freddie Lymeus , Christina Barz , Kim-Pong Tam , Birgitta Gatersleben
{"title":"Research trends in environmental psychology: A bibliometric analysis of peer-reviewed publications, 2004–2024","authors":"Eleanor Ratcliffe , Richard M. Clarke , Amanda Gabriel , Clara Weber , Charles Musselwhite , Hebba Haddad , Simone Grassini , Freddie Lymeus , Christina Barz , Kim-Pong Tam , Birgitta Gatersleben","doi":"10.1016/j.jenvp.2026.102927","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jenvp.2026.102927","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Discussions about environmental psychology's constituent research topics and future directions have persisted over several decades. In this bibliometric analysis we analysed author keywords from 4313 journal articles, published between 2004 and 2024, from two sources: 1) key environmental psychology journals (<em>Journal of Environmental Psychology</em>, <em>Environment and Behavior</em>, <em>PsyEcology: Bilingual Journal of Environmental Psychology, Frontiers in Psychology: Environmental Psychology,</em> and <em>Global Environmental Psychology</em>) and 2) other journals where authors explicitly provided ‘environmental psychology’ as an article keyword. Using VOSviewer software, we produced maps of a) co-authorship and country collaborations; and b) author keyword co-occurrences to visualise topic clusters overall (2004–2024) and in discrete time periods (2004–2008, 2009–2013, 2014–2018, and 2019–2024). Co-authorship networks tended to relate to specific topics, with limited evidence of collaboration across topics or between authors in the Global North and South. Keyword co-occurrence mapping revealed eight overarching topic clusters: human–nature relationships; children's experiences of environments; virtual environments; pro-environmental behaviour; neighbourhood and built environment; place attachment; stress and wellbeing; and climate change. We observed a significant expansion in research on pro-environmental behaviour and climate change within environmental psychology, and a decrease over time in the visibility of research on the built environment. We suggest that environmental psychology has the potential to make greater contributions to research on conflict, migration, ageing, the built environment, and considerations of cultural and individual differences in environmental experiences.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48439,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Psychology","volume":"110 ","pages":"Article 102927"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146173186","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Robin Janzik , Mathew P. White , Sabine Pahl , Severine Koch , Giorgia Zamariola , Domagoj Vrbos , Natalie Berger
{"title":"Is the public really concerned about microplastics? The importance of measuring everyday relevance and behavioral intentions as well as stated concern","authors":"Robin Janzik , Mathew P. White , Sabine Pahl , Severine Koch , Giorgia Zamariola , Domagoj Vrbos , Natalie Berger","doi":"10.1016/j.jenvp.2026.102963","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jenvp.2026.102963","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Recent studies suggest that the European public is concerned about the impact of microplastics on environmental and human health. However, concern is usually measured by asking people relatively simple questions about their current levels (i.e., stated concern) with responses potentially inflated by immediate contextual salience, raising questions about interpretability. To explore this issue, we conducted a cross-sectional random-quota survey of German (<em>n</em> = 1135) and Italian (<em>n</em> = 1124) citizens, asking them not just about stated microplastics concern but also more indirect indicators of concern including the extent to which they think about and discuss microplastics in their everyday lives (everyday relevance) and intend to reduce their own exposure (behavioral intentions). Further, we explored the degree to which awareness and knowledge about microplastics differed across countries as well as across key demographics and how different indicators of concern were associated with these factors. Replicating earlier work, awareness was lower in Italy compared to Germany, and stated concern was high overall. In addition, most people reported thinking or talking about microplastics only rarely or sometimes, but still tended to say they were likely to engage in behaviors to reduce exposure. Moreover, stated concern and everyday relevance both mediated the degree to which microplastics knowledge predicted these behavioral intentions. The results paint a nuanced picture of public microplastics concern and support arguments for including multiple metrics including everyday relevance and behavioral intentions. They also highlight the potential of increasing public knowledge given positive associations with all three metrics. In conclusion, even if they are not particularly salient in everyday thoughts or discussions, microplastics do appear to concern many German and Italian citizens and future studies should investigate the causal chain of knowledge, awareness, concern, and action more directly.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48439,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Psychology","volume":"110 ","pages":"Article 102963"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147421206","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Anne Margit Reitsema , Valesca S.M. Venhof , Andrik Becht , Bertus F. Jeronimus
{"title":"Distress and denial: Dutch youth aged 16-35 grappling with climate change","authors":"Anne Margit Reitsema , Valesca S.M. Venhof , Andrik Becht , Bertus F. Jeronimus","doi":"10.1016/j.jenvp.2026.102969","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jenvp.2026.102969","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Climate change elicits a wide range of emotional and psychological responses, from anxiety and guilt to denial. Public and media discourse often present climate change distress and denial as opposing camps.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>We move beyond this dichotomy by identifying clusters of climate change distress and denial in 1006 Dutch young adults (aged 16–35, 51.2% women, population-representative).</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We measured four dimensions of climate change distress (eco-anxiety, eco-guilt, cognitive-emotional impairment, and functional impairment) and three dimensions of denial (of seriousness, personal impact, and impact elsewhere). Naturally occurring subgroups were identified using latent profile analysis. Profile differences in demographics, emotions, institutional trust, and coping strategies were examined using analysis of variance.</div></div><div><h3>Findings</h3><div>We identified six profiles: burdened worriers, unburdened worriers, climate change deniers, skeptic worriers, NIMBYs (Not-In-My-BackYard), and conflicted skeptics. Despite low average distress levels, about half of the sample reported moderate to high distress, alongside varying denial levels. High-distress profiles reported more hope and proactive coping, while denial-heavy profiles were linked to fatalism, lower institutional trust, and limited engagement. Profiles differed only minimally by gender, age, income, and living environment; education showed no differences.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>By identifying six distinct patterns, this study moves beyond the activist–denier framing common in public discourse, showing that climate change distress and denial coexist in complex ways among Dutch youth. Future research should examine the stability of these profiles and include additional dimensions, such as ecological grief.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48439,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Psychology","volume":"110 ","pages":"Article 102969"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147421209","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Dexin Meng , Jinquan Zhang , Yasha Wang , Dongfeng Yang
{"title":"Visual exposure benefits of urban green spaces: Overlooking view yields greater attention restoration than close-up view","authors":"Dexin Meng , Jinquan Zhang , Yasha Wang , Dongfeng Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.jenvp.2026.102905","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jenvp.2026.102905","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Exposure to nature is known to promote attention restoration, yet high-rise residential environments often limit residents’ opportunities for direct contact with urban green spaces (UGS). Drawing on Attention Restoration Theory (ART), this study compared the restorative effects of close-up view (CV) and overlooking view (OV) of UGS. We collected self-report data (N = 326) using the Perceived Restorativeness Scale and eye-tracking data (N = 100) while participants viewed photographs of eight UGS locations from two heights. The findings indicate that OV more effectively promotes attention restoration than CV and is associated with more attractive spatial organization and greater opportunities for visual exploration. Eye-tracking data further indicate that OV elicits more active visual scanning—reflected in higher numbers of saccades and fixations and longer eye travel distance—alongside shorter average fixation duration and smaller pupil diameter. Across both exposure modes, scenes with a balanced mix of landscape elements and moderate design intensity were most effective in promoting attention restoration. However, correlations between eye-tracking measures and self-report scales were weak, suggesting that physiological visual behaviors may not directly map onto subjective restorative evaluations. Taken together, the findings suggest that ART should be expanded to conceptualize visual exposure as a distinct pathway for restoration, beyond the traditional emphasis on physical exposure. For high-rise residential environments, these results highlight the importance of planning and designing UGS to support restorative visual experiences from elevated vantage points.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48439,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Psychology","volume":"110 ","pages":"Article 102905"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145979459","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Greater perceived fossil fuel reliance predicts lower support for systemic climate policies","authors":"Christoph Klebl, Jolanda Jetten, Samuel Pearson","doi":"10.1016/j.jenvp.2025.102898","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jenvp.2025.102898","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Systemic transformation through large-scale policy changes that restructure energy and economic systems is necessary to effectively mitigate climate change. These policies, however, directly challenge existing fossil fuel systems, potentially reducing support among citizens who perceive their economy as dependent on these resources. This study (<em>N</em> = 296), conducted in the United Kingdom, found that individuals who perceived their country as more reliant on fossil fuels were less likely to view systemic change (but not individual behaviour change) as key to addressing climate change and showed lower preference for systemic policies over individual-level policies. These associations remained after controlling for political orientation, household income, or concerns about personal financial consequences of climate policies. These findings reveal that perceived fossil fuel reliance is linked to support for systemic climate action, and point to the importance of climate communication that directly addresses public anxieties about moving away from fossil-based energy systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48439,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Psychology","volume":"110 ","pages":"Article 102898"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145886346","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Amy J. Lim , Stephen M. Colarelli , Norman P. Li , Liqun Wei , Ming-Hong Tsai , Xiao-xiao Liu , Mark van Vugt
{"title":"Nature versus non-natural environments: Effects on stress and creativity","authors":"Amy J. Lim , Stephen M. Colarelli , Norman P. Li , Liqun Wei , Ming-Hong Tsai , Xiao-xiao Liu , Mark van Vugt","doi":"10.1016/j.jenvp.2026.102929","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jenvp.2026.102929","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>We examined the effects of nature-based environmental stimuli versus evolutionarily novel built or abstract art environments on creative production in three experiments. In Study 1 (<em>N</em> = 85), we compared people's creative performance in rooms set up to display either a natural or built landscape. In Study 2 (<em>N</em> = 62), participants completed creativity tasks after taking a walk in an urbanized city district or after a walk in a forested park. In Study 3 (<em>N</em> = 108), using a longitudinal field experiment taking place over three months, we examined the creative performance of factory employees by comparing their normal unadorned workplaces with workspaces decorated with posters of nature or abstract art. Collectively, our findings show that nature exposure did not have a unique effect on creativity. Specifically, creative performance was similar across nature and in non-natural environmental stimuli. We discuss the implications of our findings and the importance of examining the effects of other environmental stimuli on creativity.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48439,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Psychology","volume":"110 ","pages":"Article 102929"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147421197","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Laurine A. de Wolf , Peter J. Robinson , Thijs Endendijk , Jeroen C.J.H. Aerts , W.J. Wouter Botzen
{"title":"Water, worry, and wellbeing: Evaluating the impacts of floods and flood adaptation on life satisfaction","authors":"Laurine A. de Wolf , Peter J. Robinson , Thijs Endendijk , Jeroen C.J.H. Aerts , W.J. Wouter Botzen","doi":"10.1016/j.jenvp.2026.102933","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jenvp.2026.102933","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Floods have large societal impacts worldwide, causing both tangible and intangible damage resulting in loss of subjective wellbeing. The adaptive behavior of households can play an important role in minimizing these damages. To understand these dynamics, this study examines the effect of floods on life satisfaction and explores how flood adaptation can mitigate the negative impacts of floods on life satisfaction. Data was collected following the 2021 summer floods in the south of the Netherlands from approximately 1500 Dutch households who lived in flooded areas or faced the threat of the flood. The results reveal a negative effect of flood experiences on life satisfaction. Implementing structural adaptation measures was found to moderate this relationship. When structural measures are implemented, the negative impact of flood damage on life satisfaction is partially mitigated. In addition, we observe a drop in life satisfaction for low-income individuals who were not reimbursed for flood damages. These findings highlight the potential of flood adaptation in mitigating the loss of life satisfaction during a flood event and enhancing post-flood recovery.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48439,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Environmental Psychology","volume":"110 ","pages":"Article 102933"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146173122","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}