Nature is a source of well-being and recovery for many people. However, research shows that there is also a growing number of individuals who experience negative emotions, such as fear, discomfort, or even disgust, toward nature. The phenomenon, called biophobia, is now highlighted in a new study from Lund University.
"Research has long assumed that people fundamentally feel positive emotions toward nature. We have examined the opposite, that is, when there is a negative relationship with nature, and gathered knowledge about how it arises, what consequences it has, and how it can be reversed," says Johan Kjellberg Jensen, researcher at Lund University and lead author of the study.
The study summarises nearly 200 scientific articles from various research fields and is a systematic review. Research findings from around the world, including studies carried out in Sweden, Japan, and the US, have been compiled to provide a full picture of biophobia.
Deteriorating relationship
The results show that negative emotions are shaped by both external factors, such as our surroundings, exposure to nature, and media narratives, and internal factors, including health and emotional traits.
The researchers also see signs that our relationships with animals, plants, and nature more broadly, is deteriorating over time. According to Johan Kjellberg Jensen, a lack of contact with nature and limited knowledge about nature can reinforce each other in a negative spiral.
"Urbanisation combined with parents' attitudes can increase negative feelings and perceived danger in nature among children - something which becomes particularly relevant as more and more children grow up in cities," says Johan Kjellberg Jensen.
