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The Role of Nature in Children’s Resilience: Cognitive and Social Processes

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Greening in the Red Zone

Abstract

This chapter examines the convergence of two literatures: one addressing human resilience, the other focused on the natural environment and human well-being. Research evidence suggests that views of and access to nearby nature serve as protective factors, bolstering the resilience of youth. However little effort has been made to explicitly integrate resilience or positive psychology with nature and well-being research and theory. First, a brief historical overview of childhood resilience literature is presented with a focus on the evolution from protective factors to protective mechanisms. Second, the chapter presents research connecting nature to positive outcomes, particularly in the context of stress, adversity, and other risk factors. Third, we consider two particularly viable, well-grounded mechanisms linking nature to resilience: social relationships and cognitive functioning. Lastly, directions for future research are presented. Further examination of the intersection of resilience and the natural environment holds promise for theory as well as practice, and has the potential to substantially influence the lives of children facing the challenges of life in a red zone.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    ‘Rails’ refers to railroad tracks.

  2. 2.

    Moderators, also known as ‘interaction variables’ or ‘effect modifiers’ address issues of when, for whom, it depends, or under what circumstances. For example, being raised in an abusive household may have less detrimental effects for children who have a positive relationship with an adult outside of the home (the protective factor) than for children who do not have such a relationship. In other words, the effect of an abusive household on child outcomes varies according to (or depends upon) positive adult relationship outside the home (the moderator). Mediators, in contrast, concern explanatory mechanisms or causal pathways linking variables. Mediators address questions of how or why. For example, why does access to nature enhance cognitive functioning?—by reducing directed attention fatigue. In this case, directed attention fatigue mediates the relation between nature and cognitive functioning. See Baron and Kenny (1986) and Wells et al. (2007).

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Design and Environmental Analysis, College of Human Ecology, MVR Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA

    Nancy M. Wells

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  1. Nancy M. Wells
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Correspondence to Nancy M. Wells .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Department of Natural Resources, Cornell University, Ithaca, 14853, New York, USA

    Keith G. Tidball

  2. , Department of Natural Resources, Cornell University, Ithaca, 14853, New York, USA

    Marianne E Krasny

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Wells, N.M. (2014). The Role of Nature in Children’s Resilience: Cognitive and Social Processes. In: Tidball, K., Krasny, M. (eds) Greening in the Red Zone. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-9947-1_7

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