Environmental psychology is a discipline that deals with behaviour as far as the environment is concerned. The concepts that are connected with aesthetic and environmental preferences are studied and outlined using behavioural maps. The environment influences how one behaves at varying levels. Immediate behaviour is used to describe the environment as a function of the setting in which the behaviour happens. The personality make-up of individuals within an area is usually defined and guided by the type and the nature of the environment within which they live. In caged or unnatural conditions, animals exhibit ‘behaviour starvation,’ where their behaviour breaks down. Aspects like the artificial character in an urban condition and population stress are said to be some of the leading causes for the rise in the incidence of mental disorders and crime rates among the people living in urban areas. Applied Environmental psychology aims at providing rules for the better management of the environment to facilitate personal development and a better life. Environmental psychology looks into effective ways of promoting environmental conservation and also better ways of designing cities while minding the behavioural responses and needs of people. The environment in which people live in has a lot to do with how people behave, and it is for this reason that the school of thought employed in environmental psychology can be easily incorporated in the discipline of psychology.
Environmental psychology is a naturalistic and holistic discipline that studies how organisms are adapted to their settings. Organisms are viewed as a part of the ecosystem, and major stress is put on the interdependence and balance of organisms and the environment. A hypothesis is held that the environment greatly influences the behaviour of individuals on a number of levels. Immediate behaviour is viewed as a subset of the setting in which the behaviour occurs. For instance, the manner in which the furniture in a room is arranged affects the manner in which the people in that room interact with one another. The overall personality make-up of people living in a country is directed by the type and nature of the environment to which the people are subjected over long periods of time. Racial differences as far as personality is concerned can be traced, to a large extent, to the influence of the diverse environments to which the people of different races are subjected years over and over. Different climates result in variations in the temperaments, intelligence, and even the skin colour of the people involved, thus the major racial differences.
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Every animal, and human being feel at home in its natural environment, and its behaviour is deranged when in an unnatural environment. It is even proved that animals have behavioural needs that are related to their natural environment. Whenever an animal is caged, they exhibit symptoms of abnormal behaviour for instance compulsions. Also, an increase in the population density beyond the optimum level is also a way of environmental alteration and it results in population stress and behavioural breakdown. This relationship evidences the relationship between the environment and psychology, and it evidences the application of environmental psychology in the field of psychology. Psychology involves a major deal of town planning and organization to ensure that every being is placed in an environment that wholly suits and promotes its behavioural development. Through applied environmental psychology, it is possible to achieve better environmental management to facilitate psychological growth and a better life.
References
Baum, A. E., Singer, J. E., & Valins, S. E. (1978). Advances in environmental psychology: I. The urban environment . Lawrence Erlbaum.
Matthew, G. (2018). ENVIRONMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY . Psychology4all.com . Retrieved 2 May 2018, from http://www.psychology4all.com/environmentalpsychology.htm
Mathew, V. G. (2001). Environmental Psychology. Retrieved on April 25 , 2011
