The Biophiloa Hypothesis And Human-animal Relationship Implications in Psychology Flashcards
What is the biophilia hypothesis?
E.O.Wilson
= innate tendency to focus on life and lifelike processes
Bonds with other species
Own interest to preserve nature
What are the historical attitudes towards animals?
~ Utilitarian - primarily concerned for the practical and material value of animals eg. Livestock farming, workhorses
~ Aesthetic - primarily interested in artistic and symbolic characteristics of animals
~ Negativistic - active avoidance of animals die to dislike/fear
~ Neutralistic - passive avoidance of animals due to indifference and lack of interest
What are the modern attitudes towards animals in addition to the historical ones?
~ Dominionistic - satisfaction from mastery and control over animals, typically in sports
~ Scientistic - primarily interested in physical attributes and biological functioning eg. in research
~ Naturalistic - primarily interested in and affection for wildlife and outdoors
~ Ecologistic - primarily concerned for environment
~ Humanistic - primarily interested in and strong affection for individual animals eg. pets
~ Moralistic - primarily concerned for treatment of animals with strong opposition of exploitation and cruelty
What kinds of human-animal relationships are there?
Utilitarian eg. working dogs, assistance dogs (humanistic as well)
Humanistic eg. companion dogs
Utilitarian eg. wildlife pet trade, bushmeat, medicine
Utilitarian-business eg. zoo
What impacts of wildlife are there on humans?
Positive - well being and mental health eg. bird song relaxes us
Negative - human-wildlife conflicts
What impacts do humans have on wildlife?
Positive - conservation and protection, animal welfare, food opportunities
Negative - wildlife pet trade, bushmeat, medicine, destruction of natural habitat, indifference
What are the 3 views of environmental ethics?
Environmental ethics = application of ethical standards to the relationship between humans and environment
- Anthropocentrism - humans and human welfare most important
- Biocentrism - all living things have value, some may be more important than others
- Egocentrism - well being of species or community more important than that of individual
What is environmental psychology and what are some of the research areas?
= multidisciplinary field that focuses on interplay between humans and physical surroundings, including built or natural environment
Some research areas:
~ Perception and evaluation of buildings and natural landscapes
~ Ecological consequences of human actions
~ Psychological and behavioural aspects of people and nature
What is ecopsychology and what are some of the areas of interest?
Studies the relationship between humans and the natural world through ecological and psychological principles
~ Physical and mental health benefits of interacting with nature - seen in wildlife tourism
~ Biophilia
~ Psychology of environmental destruction
~ Human-animal interaction
What is ecotherapy?
Fundamental of it is our connection to natural world and environment we live in
Uses range of practices in order to help us connect with nature and ultimately our ‘inner’ nature
Personal stress can be alleviated by developing mutual connection between inside and outside, through learning to care for natural environment we learn to care for and nurture ourselves
About personal healing and healing for earth
What is conservation psychology and what are some of the research areas?
Scientific study of reciprocal relationships between humans and rest of nature, with goal of encouraging conservation of natural world
Some areas: ~ Role of humans in nature ~ Restorative effects of nature ~ Effects of noise ~ Environmental cognition
Conservation psychology
What is Environmental Assessment (Aesthetics and Preference)?
How aesthetic and negativistic attitudes, and other concepts predict support for species protection
Curtin - Current Issues in Tourism
What is the Attention Restoration Theory?
‘Direct attention’ based on concentration, hard work and potentially uninteresting tasks forming our daily lives = frustration and tiredness
‘Indirect attention’ it fascination holds concentration with little/no effort - allows brain to be restored so can return to direct attention
L> Kaplan and Kaplan = natural environment provides most effective restoration environment especially when away from daily routine and able to explore
Curtin - Current Issues in Tourism
What did Frankl say the 4 dimension of meaning of leisure were?
Physical, mental, social, spiritual/existential
Clayton and Saunders - Tourism
What 3 themes of human-nature relationship are emphasised?
- Need to understand behaviour in context
- Recognition of reciprocal relationship between people and environment
- From beginning Environmental psychology has emphasised need to be interdisciplinary
