Inclusion of nature in self and pro-nature beliefs: utilizing psychological scales in environmental management to Further understand if interconnectedness with nature supports sustainable outcomes – A case study in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand

ABSTRACT It has been asserted that to overcome nature degradation, environmental managers need to understand the ways in which people view themselves in relation to nature as this influences their beliefs and actions toward nature. To examine this assertion, this study explored how 960 subjects in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand reported themselves in relation to nature, and whether the way in which they viewed themselves in relation to nature influenced their pro-nature beliefs. Results suggested that most respondents perceive some degree of connectedness with nature despite viewing a distinction between themselves and nature. Results further indicate that respondents who perceived complete interconnectedness with nature were more likely to hold pro-nature beliefs. Conversely, respondents who perceived complete separation between self and nature were less likely to hold pro-nature beliefs. The findings suggest that positive environmental management outcomes may be more achievable if environmental managers focus on increasing individuals’ feelings of interconnectedness with nature to prompt and/or enhance pro-nature beliefs. The study calls attention to the merit of deployment of psychological scales in environmental management contexts, which are currently lacking, to understand the divergent ways in which people relate to nature to contribute to more effective environmental management programmes and policy.