Environmental Psychology

Environmental Psychology People behave differently depending on the environment that they are exposed to or are physically in. Each environment setting yields different behavioral results that are similar among-st the people in such environment. To better understand environmental psychology it is important to understand that the definition is substantial to many environmental settings that humans have. Although conservation psychology, social Psychology and environmental psychology can work together in understanding human behavior within their surroundings, there is a difference among each and a purpose for each that have differences. Research in environmental psychology has produced many theories and explanation to human behavior.
Defining Environmental Psychology People tend to be rajasik in cold climates, “rajasik” meaning people in cold climates have to organize and prepare to stay warm. People in such climates are energetic, aggressive, manipulative, competitive, and intelligence. People in cold climate are defined as controlling and energetic because of they are having to go into survival mode to stay warm. People in warm climates are more reserved and lazy, thus they tend to have a surrendering attitude and fear activity (Mathews Ph.D., 2001). Environmental psychology explains and studies the relationship between humans and the many environments humans are exposed to. People can be examined and studied in environments that include social settings, learning settings, information settings, and natural settings. The study of environmental psychology is the comparison and study of human’s behavior in relation to their physical environment (Mathews Ph.D., 2001). The way people interact with their world and how this interaction shapes our behavior is considered the discipline of environmental psychology.
Conservative, Social, and Environmental Psychology Contrast/Comparison Conservation psychology: According to "Conservation Psychology" (2011), “How people behave toward nature (with the goal of creating durable behavior change at multiple levels and sustainable relationships), and/or; how people care about/value nature (with the goal of creating harmonious relationships and an environmental ethic)” (Para. 3). Compared to conservation psychology, environmental psychology deals with understanding people’s behavior when it comes to nature. The only thing different between the two is that conservation psychology focus on how people behave towards conserving the natural environment. But with many people conserving nature is part of how people psychologically feel comfortable in placing themselves in a natural environment. Thus conservation psychology is used to better understand how people behave in a natural environment. The Social environment is as important in environmental psychology as well. Since social psychology is studying the relationship among humans, in that it takes some sort of environment for such relationships to take place. Social psychology looks at the beliefs, attitudes, and the influence that groups have on individuals. Environments create even more different behavior as does the social group an individual will be around or conversing with. The relationships among all three have association and a need in figuring behavior. In environmental psychology it conservation and social psychology are apart of understanding humans behavior in a natural and social environment.
Research in Environmental Psychology Like other disciplines of psychology, environmental psychology’s research is similar. As with other disciplines research is geared toward theoretical and methodological development ("Page Rank Studio", 2010-2011). People choose where their environment is, either in a natural, urban, rural, etc... People sometimes choose environments that have future consequences, such as lack of resources or severe climate change. Environmental psychology’s research focuses on why people choose certain environments, what characteristics people have that causes them to choose such environment, and what other issues may have been in play for the choice. In trying to research peoples environmental habits other issues come into play, such as economics, human geography, and sociology. Many studies focus on field work and laboratory work in hopes to find cognitive answers to how people use their abilities to choose environments ("Page Rank Studio", 2010-2011). Much research in environmental psychology also focuses on how environmental stressors (natural disasters, crowding, noise, technology, catastrophes, etc.) effect people and the outcome of the effects. Other research is conducted in understanding people’s behavior and interaction in social settings. Understanding people’s behavior and interaction takes joint research in their physical environment and social environment ("Page Rank Studio", 2010-2011). Further research in environmental research targets people’s behavior towards pro-environmental issues. In that research studies people’s attitudes, moral concern, and values in relations to conserving and preserving the environment ("Page Rank Studio", 2010-2011).
Conclusion
Environmental psychology is important to understand, while understanding other disciplines associated in learning and studying humans in their physical environment. The choices humans make and environments they choose to inhabit can be costly or productive in means of living, behaving, and understanding their surroundings. Important research is conducted in the discipline of environmental psychology that helps understand and create solutions to environmental issues involving humans, while understanding humans existence among different environmental settings.