Environmental Psychology

thesmartessays

Environmental Psychology

[read more=”Click here to Read More” less=”Read Less”]

Format APA

Volume of 3 pages (825 words)
Assignment type : Essay

Description
By definition, environmental psychology explores the dynamic relationship between people, place, and space in order to understand how our behavior and cultural values shape our environment, and how, in turn, our surroundings affect us. Throughout the first half of the semester, we have been engaging with readings that help us understand what this means, and appreciate the complexity of this relationship.
With this definition in mind, imagine that a student who is interested in taking our Environmental Psychology course next semester approaches you. The student asks you to explain what environmental psychology is, and wants to know examples of three readings from the first half of the course that were representative of, or helped you understand, this ‘dynamic relationship.’
In 2-3 pages double-spaced pages, write a letter responding to this prospective student. Your response should demonstrate your understanding of what this definition of environmental psychology means by providing examples from at least 3 readings from 3 different class topics that are representative of, or helped you understand, environmental psychology.

For Whom Interested in Taking Environmental Psychology

As someone who might be interested in taking this class, first question that might pop up in your head would be, “What is Environmental Psychology?” I would say the most important quote to understand environmental psychology is: “A guiding principle in this field is what we have called the dynamic interchange between man and his milieu (Ittelson et al. pg.5).” Reading first part of An Introduction to Environmental Psychology, it explains how it is not just about the man impacting the nature or nature impacting man, but it is about how each other could influence and refine each other. This concept is important because Environmental psychology leads to concern with social problems. Because Earth is not just for humans but we share, affect that man gives could also affect the one we share with. For example, think about hotels built in tropical area. If hotels are built in the mountain, which were originally home for monkeys, with no consideration of the ecosystem, it will massively disrupt the whole environment.
While man could change the environment, environment could also change and be a major factor that builds man’s identity. Depending on where your natural environment is, natural environment could influence in which people view and experience their relationship with it, but it also influences individual identities. People from different culture might take in same situation, object, or weather in different way. Not just group identities, but each individual might have variety of emotions attached to certain spaces. Some even may define themselves depending on the ways that they interact with nature as hikers, land owners, or more. On Identity and the Natural Environment by Susan Clayton and Susan Opotow, they propose that “environmental identity can be usefully conceptualized as occurring along a dimension anchored by minimal and strong levels of social influence. Environmental identities inevitably contain a social component because they depend on and ultimately contribute to social meaning.” Study shows that social and natural environment apply a roughly same influence. They are interdependent. There is a high correlation to individual “culture” that he or she is born to and how that gives immense influence on building human identity. For example, for me, born and raised in Asian culture makes me limit myself. Asian females are usually raised to be modest, hide one’s body, and seen dirty if females talk about sex. Coming to United States almost felt liberating for me and shocking because of how much females are more respected more as a same human being rather than having them locked in with female stereotypes. Not just about females, but even tattoo and drugs is way more common and accepting in United States compared to any Asian countries.
Lastly, learning how to do environment-behavior research is a crucial part of studying Environmental Psychology.

[/read]

[wpadm-chat]

Sample Feedback from students

Sample Profiles for Our top Experts