Environmental Psychology

Recent years has also seen development of the international master’s programme Outdoor environments for Health and Wellbeing (OHW) as well as establishing Environmental psychology as its own education subject (“huvudområde”) at SLU.

Environmental psychology is a multidisciplinary subject that studies the relationship between human beings and our surroundings. Our research focuses on how place and landscape surrounding people contribute to socially sustainable everyday environments. Particular attention is paid to outdoor environments promoting people’s health, well-being and development. In line with this, basic research concerning the mechanisms contributing to specific outcomes (e.g. physical activity, play and learning, recreation, restoration, health interventions and creativity) is at the centre of our work. Moreover, methods for evidence-based research and practice, as well as conceptual development of nature-based health interventions are developed. At present, the group conducts research focusing on the following aspects:

• Landscape preferences and landscape perception.

• Planning for health promotion in various types of outdoor environments, from natural to planned, e.g. forests, parks, schoolyards and health care facilities.

• People and environment interaction from the perspective of specific user groups, e.g. children, youth and vulnerable groups.

• Salutogenic experiences and activities of interaction with nature and biodiversity, e.g. gardening, exercise, outdoor office work, and connectedness to nature.

Our problem-based approach and close collaboration with essential actors and policymakers generate unique opportunities to work with and integrate different aspects of sustainability in relation to urban as well as rural environments, in line with the UN goals. We see a potential in an emerging discourse that highlights synergies between the needs of people and other species, exemplified by concepts like nature-based solutions and one health.

The group is characterized by most staff being involved in both research and teaching, which results in teaching with a high degree of research connectedness. We welcome students from a wide range of disciplines and countries to our courses. We are often engaged as supervisors and examiners for independent projects in a wide range of programs at SLU.

In addition, the group has contributed to SLU’s mission of continuous environmental analysis through several projects within the newly developed Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Programme for Built Environments.