Link between behavior and setting studied


William R. Woodward, Ph.D., psychology professor at the University of New Hampshire attempts to inspire students to become environmentally responsible citizens. (photo by Tom Croke)

By Phyllis Hanlon

Al Gore's recent award-winning film, An Inconvenient Truth, has dramatically increased awareness of global problems that may negatively impact our way of life. Members of the American Psychological Association's (APA) Division 34, Population and Environmental Psychology, have been applying psychological thinking to such problems since 1976 when the division was created.

Comprising three segments - environment, conservation and population psychology - Division 34's members conduct research on problems facing the natural world, such as air and water pollution, depleted natural resources and endangered species, although most projects examine the connection between human behavior, physical setting and ways in which the two interact.

Some specific projects include ways to create residential, institutional and workplace environments optimally beneficial to mental and physical well being. Related research looks at ways to improve way finding, i.e., appropriate and understandable signage and suitable housing for low-income families, people with disabilities and the elderly. Additionally, environmental psychologists investigate the manner in which humans value and treat nature and the impact of population growth on the environment.

John Zeisel, Ph.D., president and co-founder of Hearthstone Alzheimer Care, Ltd., and author of Interior Design: Environment/Behavior/Neuroscience in Architecture, Interior, Landscape and Planning," focuses his attentions on designing Alzheimer's units in medical facilities. He combines his academic background in sociology and architecture with the study of neuroscience and environmental psychology to create conditions that provide the best possible atmosphere for individuals with dementia.

Zeisel's research has determined that the way people with dementia access memories, relax and maintain appropriate comfort levels and a sense of time is related to their surroundings. He reports that therapeutic gardens have become an integral part in the design of new construction and emphasizes that time-related problems tend to decrease when Alzheimer's patients have access to the outdoors. "A natural environment sets a time clock in the body. When Alzheimer's damages that, gardens correct the body clock," he says. "There is much less sundowning (i.e., sleep/wake disturbances)."

The social aspect of environmental psychology involves the way people treat and react to one another, says Zeisel. In the case of the Alzheimer's patient, perception plays a large role. His research indicates that caregivers, paid staff and family must learn appropriate response techniques that will decrease agitation and apathy in patients with dementia.

Zeisel believes in incorporating the same philosophy that connects the personal and community environments in Alzheimer's units to other venues, such as schools, office buildings, courthouses and other public facilities. He believes that environmental psychology is applicable to everyone from designers, architects and planners to policy makers on the local, regional and national levels.

Ann Sloan Devlin, Ph.D., the May Buckley Sadowski '19 professor of psychology at Connecticut College, began her work in environmental psychology under the tutelage of Stephen and Rachel Kaplan, pioneers in the field. One of her research interests involves the individual's perception of the healthcare environment and healthcare architecture. "I look at what people respond to. What impression do they get [of a healthcare facility]? We're paying insufficient attention to healthcare settings," she says.

Connecticut College is currently conducting a study in which students attempt to find their way around a virtual hospital environment, says Devlin. She explains that students look for visual and listen for auditory cues that facilitate navigating the often-confusing corridors of a medical facility.

This problem of way finding - how people get from Point A to Point B - also applies to public buildings. According to Devlin, Boston City Hall represents a good example of poor way finding. "The corridors are irregular," she says. "There are no distinctive cues. People become overwhelmed."

In addition to healthcare and public facilities, residential areas desperately need an environmental facelift. Devlin notes a shift to a "new urbanism" in which developers design communities that emphasize living, working and shopping within a limited geographic area. This change from motor vehicle use to walking has the potential to create a sense of communal unity, reduce air pollution and positively impact the obesity problem in this country, notes Devlin. "We have to create ecologically sound places to live," she says. "We can't maintain that individualistic attitude and still protect the planet."

To date, environmental psychologists have failed to widely publicize their contributions to the conversation related to global environmental issues. "We have to become more savvy in terms of media. Lots of research comes from academia but we don't make the results understandable to laity," says Devlin. She suggests that psychologists provide sound bytes, write articles for magazines and newspapers, grant radio and television interviews and lobby policymakers. "Visibility will make a difference," she says.

Environmental psychology courses seldom find their way into the academic curriculum, according to William R. Woodward, Ph.D., psychology professor at the University of New Hampshire (UNH). Using case studies, he attempts to educate and inspire students to become environmentally responsible citizens. For instance, the class delves into the UNH archives to examine previous environmental activities such as the Clamshell Alliance, which opposed construction of a nuclear plant in the 1970s, and watershed debates involving the McCallum and Wiswall Dams.

Woodward's self-designed course incorporates psychoanalytic concepts with behavioral, cognitive, social, ecological and holistic psychology and theology. "The behavioral aspect focuses on reinforcement and creating programs that reward citizens for recycling and responsible behavior," he says. Socially, the class examines the principles of cooperation.

"Ecological psychology teaches that all living things are related. If you take the honeybees out of the environment, you have a problem," says Woodward. "We use science to understand the planet."

Woodward cites the increased incidence of autism and ties it to environmental toxins and chemicals in agricultural products. He proposes that psychologists interested in environmental issues seek solutions from the community, in which problems surface, rather than relying on surveys and outside consultants, which has been the technique in the past.

A former Peace Corps volunteer from 1969-1971, Woodward saw firsthand the various cultural and social issues that feed into environmental concerns. He requires his students to engage in two community-related activities each week. "I encourage voluntary activism. Global can be local," he says.

Link between behavior and setting studied (June 2007 Issue)

Link between behavior and setting studied
(June 2007 Issue)