Evolutionary and socio-cultural influences on feelings and attitudes towards nature: a cross-cultural study

ABSTRACT

Mounting environmental issues have prompted reconsideration of the human–nature relationship. Accordingly, attitudes to nature, as an important dimension of human–nature interactions, have become a research focus. How feelings and attitudes towards nature are influenced by evolutionary and social-cultural constructions, and whether there is variation between different cultural groups, demands more attention. Using a survey of visitors to two very different National Parks, the New Forest National Park, England and Jiuzhaigou Scenic Area, China, this paper shows that of nationality and living environment, differences between the two nationalities were significant in respect of both attitudes and feelings. Specifically, it demonstrates that the biophilia thesis, which purports that people have an innate and a genetically inherited need for affiliation with nature, is influenced by their socio-cultural environment, in particular their national culture, but also by their current living place. The study contributes to our understanding of sustainable tourism in natural areas.

KEYWORDS:

• Anthropocentric
• ecocentric
• biophilia
• nature attitude
• national park

Acknowledgments

Many thanks to Dr John Beavis from Bournemouth University for his advices on this paper.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This project is partly funded by British Academy, UK [grant number SG-47266] and National Nature Science Foundation of China [grant number 41571133].