Bachelor
2024/2025
Environmental psychology
Type:
Elective course (Psychology)
Area of studies:
Psychology
Delivered by:
School of Psychology
Where:
Faculty of Social Sciences
When:
4 year, 3 module
Mode of studies:
offline
Open to:
students of all HSE University campuses
Instructors:
Elena Sautkina
Language:
English
ECTS credits:
3
Course Syllabus
Abstract
Environmental Psychology studies the relationships between people and their natural and built surroundings. On the one hand, Environmental Psychology focuses on the role of physical environments for people, e.g., how living in cities impacts people's cognition and behaviour, or the capacity of natural environments to restore people’s psychological resources. On the other hand, it examines the ways people shape their physical environments, e.g., processes involved in pro-environmental action, or creating healthy and sustainable built environments. Since the 1960s, the role of Environmental Psychology has been twofold: to conduct research and to apply the research evidence in real life, e.g. in nature conservation, environmental design, well-being and health, education, and other areas. Today, Environmental Psychology helps to shape people’s awareness and behaviour in order to transition towards a sustainable future, and to mitigate and adapt to various environmental threats caused by climate change and environmental degradation. This course will introduce students to key theories, concepts, methods and applications of Environmental Psychology to encourage and empower them to conduct basic research and practice in this area. Students will be able to gain knowledge and experience in Environmental Psychology through interactive lectures and active learning seminars. Course topics will include: history and scope of Environmental Psychology; psychology of built environments and urban design; psychology of human-nature interactions; psychology of environmental risks; psychology of pro-environmental action; and fundamentals of applied Environmental Psychology.
Learning Objectives
- This course is designed to provide an overview of the theory, methods, contemporary academic research and practical applications in the field of environmental psychology.
- This course aims to develop an appreciation of how psychology can contribute to shaping urban environments, preserve natural environments, and deal with the challenges of environmental degradation and climate change.
- The course aims to develop initial capacities in order to conduct basic research and practice work in the field of Environmental Psychology.
Expected Learning Outcomes
- Able to analyse and build interventions behavior aiming to change environmental behaviour.
- Is able to clearly and successfuly disseminate environmental psychology research among non-academic audiences from different sectors.
- Is able to conduct a basic evaluation of an environmental intervention.
- Is able to conduct case study analyses and evaluate the restorative potential of environments.
- Is able to critically analyse built environments drawing on environmental psychology methods, theories and evidence, and suggest evidence-based improvements.
- Knows key theories of people-nature relationship in the field of environmental psychology.
- Knows the key concepts, theories and methods in the field of environmental psychology.
- Knows the key determinants and models explaining pro-environmental behaviour.
- Knows the key principles of application of Environmental Psychology in design of urban and built spaces.
- Knows the key principles of successful collaboration of environmental psychologists with policy-makers and practitioners.
- Knows the key theories in Environmental Psychology regarding urban and built environments.
- Knows the key theories of environmental risk perception and human behaviour in face of environmental risks.
Course Contents
- Environmental Psychology: History, Key Theories and Methods
- Urban Environments: Overcoming Stressors with Opportunities
- People and Nature
- Environmental Risks
- The Psychology of Pro-Environmental Action
- Building links between Science, Policy and Practice in the Area of People-Environment Studies
Assessment Elements
- QuizAfter each lecture, a short quiz based on the lecture contents will be taken. There will be a total of five quizzes, each corresponding to the lecture content. Each quiz will consist of multiple-choice and open-ended questions. Students will receive advance notice of the quiz schedule. They will be provided with limited time to complete each quiz.
- ActivityThe student must be active during lectures. What is counted as Activity: asking content-related questions, answering lecturer's questions, participating in organised discussions with peers and lecturer.
- ProjectAt the end of the course, students present projects. These can be: 1) A novel research project, 2) A scientific evaluation of an existing environmental initiative, 3) A novel evidence-based environmental project
- Seminar tasksStudents present homework at the first five seminars, corresponding to the topics covered in the previous lecture. Homework may include: 1) reading, presenting and discussing research articles; 2) debate 3) discussion of spatial design; 4) discussion of a an environmental initiative and its scientific evaluation.
Interim Assessment
- 2024/2025 3rd module0.1 * Activity + 0.1 * Project + 0.4 * Quiz + 0.4 * Seminar tasks
Bibliography
Recommended Core Bibliography
- de Groot, J. I. M., Berg, A. E. van den, & Steg, L. (2012). Environmental Psychology : An Introduction. Chichester, West Sussex: Wiley-Blackwell. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=446208
- de Groot, J. I. M., Berg, A. E. van den, & Steg, L. (2019). Environmental Psychology : An Introduction. Chichester, West Sussex: Wiley-Blackwell.
- Environmental psychology for design, Kopec, D. A.(DAK), 2012
- Fleury-Bahi G., Pol E. & Navarro O. (2017). Handbook of Environmental Psychology and Quality of Life Research. Springer Link.
- Research methods for environmental psychology, , 2016
Recommended Additional Bibliography
- Goleman, D., Bennett, L., & Barlow, Z. (2012). Ecoliterate: How educators are cultivating emotional, social, and ecological intelligence. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.