Not all pleasant – Taking the eudaimonic view on nature and well-being
Johanna Jämsä, Department of Geography and Geology, University of Turku
Think about a sweaty hike, with pouring rain and sore feet. Not so pleasant in the moment, but can make you feel more connected to nature, fill you with sense of accomplishment and autonomy. Maybe you hike with a group of people, and this experience binds you together, bringing a mutual feeling of ease to your communication. This is what eudaimonic well-being benefits can look like in the context of nature.
Most of the studies on the well-being effects of nature focus on hedonistic, immediate benefits, such as lowered stress levels, elevated mood and increases in positive affect. So far, very little research has considered the ‘eudaimonic’ well-being benefits. As the hedonistic view focuses on the feeling good aspect of nature, the eudaimonic perspective recognizes that
- experiences that do not provide immediate gratification can contribute to important life goals
- not all pleasant experiences enhance well-being in the long term
The hike example illustrates the first point. To grasp the second point, we can think of a shortsighted way of utilizing nature. It may bring wealth and well-being now, but it puts the future well-being at risk.
Thus, eudaimonic perspective looks a bit further, centralizing the experiences that provide people with feelings of competence, meaningful life and fulfilled aspirations. In essence, hedonic and eudaimonic views are two different takes on what “good life” means, and thus they form a different basis for well-being research.
Only by studying the eudaimonic perspective of nature’s well-being effects, these often tacit aspects of ecosystem services can be included in the political discussion, which will increase the plurality of the nature related values also in the urban planning.
In psychologist Carol Ryff’’s (1989) widely acknowledged categorization eudaimonic well-being is divided under six themes:
1) self-acceptance: to possess a positive attitude towards self and accept many aspects of self, good as well as bad qualities, to feel positive about what has occurred in past life, no wish to be different than one is.
In the context of nature, this can mean: When we watch nature, we see the variety of forms. No tree looks the same, yet they all are good as they are. Maybe nature can help to see our own bodies as something as natural and inherently good, no matter shape and size.
2) positive relationships with others: to have the ability to love, to have strong feelings of empathy for all (human) beings and to be concerned about the welfare of others, to have close unions and to identify with others and understand give and take of (human) relationships – to be capable of compromises to sustain important ties with others.
In the context of nature, this can mean: To have feeling an extended empathy for all beings. Especially in the light of the climate crisis, it is important that people are capable to feel concern for other beings than themselves. This can mean making compromises about one’s life style to ensure a sustainable future for the coming generations.
3) environmental mastery: to be able to create environments suitable to one’s needs and values, to have the ability to advance in the world and change it creatively through physical or mental activities, to have a sense of competence in managing the environment and making effective use of surrounding opportunities.
In the context of nature, this can mean: Creating a community garden from scratch. On the other hand, the policies and other authorities’ role in supporting inhabitant’s environmental mastery is crucial. Every man’s rights are beneficial for the Nordic inhabitant’s sense of environmental mastery, as they make possible to explore and dwell in the environment quite freely.
4) autonomy: to have self-determination, independence, and the ability to regulate behavior from within, to show resistance to enculturation – for example resisting collective fears and beliefs or social pressures to think and act in certain ways, to not to look to others for approval but evaluate oneself by personal standards.
In the context of nature, this can mean: Supports the “nature doesn’t judge” paradigm. People often feel they can be their authentic selves in natural environments, thus these environments may further support individual’s autonomy.
5) purpose in life: to have an outlook or beliefs that give purpose and meaning to life. To have goals in life, a sense of directedness, and intentionality. To feel there is meaning to present as well as past life.
In the context of nature, this can mean: Feeling of purpose in life may be acquired from working directly in connection to the natural environment, for example protecting it or working in forest management.
6) personal growth: to continue to develop one’s potential, to grow as a person, to be open to new experiences and able to confront new challenges, to be changing in ways that reflect more self-knowledge and effectiveness, to be able to develop new attitudes and behaviors, to generally not feel bored or uninterested in life.
In the context of nature, this can mean: Nature challenges us to think how we affect the ecosystems. Thus, it challenges us to develop new attitudes and behaviors. The seasons also bring change to our everyday life. Often it is enough to see the change in nature and marvel at it, as it was apparent from my Master’s Thesis interviews.
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In my PhD, I am continuing deeper to the nature’s well-being benefits. This above categorization forms the basis for my PhD research. I am researching how nature supports these aspects of well-being in the lives of inhabitants of Turku and Copenhagen.
Reference:
Ryff, C. D. (1989). Happiness is everything, or is it? Explorations on the meaning of psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 57(6), 1069–1081. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.57.6.1069
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