Applied Environmental Psychology

Environmental psychology is the study of how people perceive and interact with their environment as well as the examination of ways people can develop more compatible relationships with the environment. Sometimes these relationships have strong biological roots, and other times are a product of experience and culture.

Applications of environmental psychology for the NRCS include: evaluating and measuring attitudes toward the environment, exploring the link between an individual's attitudes toward the environment versus their actual behavior, exploring the cultural significance of specific species such as eastern black walnut in rural Missouri communities, designing tools to help prioritize issues and concerns for individuals, as well as developing techniques to help a conservationist learn more about the nature of their community members.

 Applied Tools and Projects:

• Paired Comparison Tool -- designed to help prioritize issues and concerns.
• SEQUOIA scale -- four factor scale designed to measure environmental attitudes.
• Ongoing Environmental Psychology Research -- research results. 

Suggestions or Comments?  Contact Andrea Clarke, Ph.D., USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Telephone: 202-720-5927. 

The Natural Resources Conservation Service provides leadership in a partnership effort to help people conserve, maintain, and improve our natural resources and environment.