Environmental Psychology Section
Environmental psychology is the scientific study of the reciprocal relationships that people share with natural and built environments.
About
The Environmental Psychology Section aims to:
- Encourage and promote environmental psychology research and practice
- Unite and engage the environmental psychology community in the UK
- Support dissemination, networking, and career development opportunities for UK environmental psychologists
- Represent the interests of UK environmental psychologists within the British Psychological Society and more widely
- Position environmental psychology in the UK as a prominent advocate for positive societal and environmental change through knowledge exchange, evidence of efficacy, equity and impact
What do Environmental Psychologists do?
Environmental psychologists examine how humans, as individuals or groups, interact with their natural and built environments - understanding how we perceive and experience our environments, their influence on human behaviour and wellbeing, and how we affect the environments around us.
Environmental psychologists investigate a wide range of phenomena. These include questions relating to the built environment, such as understanding the impacts of the physical layout of therapeutic environments, behavioural and emotional consequences of heat, lighting and acoustics in buildings, and the implications for office, school, and hospital design.
Environmental psychologists also explore questions relating to the natural environment, such as investigating the exposure, experience and psychological benefits from spending time in nature.
Another important area of work for environmental psychologists is understanding the barriers and facilitators to engaging in pro-environmental behaviour, and people's attitudes, emotions and behaviours towards Earth and its natural resources.
In a fast-changing world of rapid urbanisation, biodiversity loss, climate change, alternative work practices, increasing physical and mental health-issues, and evolving socio-technical systems, there is a need for environmental design decisions and policy formulation to reflect both:
- (a) the role of the physical environment in personal and social experiences and actions
- (b) the psychological processes influencing the interactions between people and their physical and social environments
This is the preserve of environmental psychology.
Contact us
Any queries regarding the Environmental Psychology Section should be sent to [email protected].
You can also keep up to date by following us on Twitter at @BPSEnvPsych.
News
Events
Guidelines
Resources
Books
- Bell, P. A., Greene, T. C., Fisher, J. D., & Baum, A. (2005). Environmental Psychology. (Fifth edition). Routledge.
- Bernheimer, L. (2017) The Shaping of Us: How Everyday Spaces Structure Our Lives, Behaviour, and Well-being. Robinson Press.
- Clayton, S. D. (Ed.) (2012). The Oxford handbook of environmental and conservation psychology. New York: Oxford University Press.
- Clayton, S., & Manning, C. (2018). Psychology and Climate Change: Human Perceptions, Impacts, and Responses. Academic Press.
- Devlin, A. (2018). Environmental Psychology and Human Well-being: Effects of Built and Natural Settings. Academic Press.
- Fleury-Bahi, G., Pol, E., & Navarro, O. (Eds.). (2017). Handbook of environmental psychology and quality of life research. Springer International Publishing.
- Gatersleben, B., & Murtagh, N. (Eds.) (2023). Handbook on Pro-Environmental Behaviour Change. Edward Elgar Publishing.
- Gifford, R. (2014). Environmental Psychology Principles & Practice (5th Edition). Optimal Books.
- Gifford, R. (2016). Research Methods for Environmental Psychology. Wiley.
- Marselle, M.R, Stadler, J., Korn, H., Irvine, K., & Bonn (2019). Biodiversity and health in the face of climate change. Springer Cham.
- Roe, J. & McCay, L. (2021). Restorative Cities: Urban design for mental health and wellbeing. Bloomsbury.
- Steg, L., & de Groot, J. (Eds.). (2019). Environmental Psychology: An introduction. (2nd edition). BPS & Wiley.
- Marchand, D., Weiss, K., & Pol, E. (2023). 100 Key Concepts in Environmental Psychology. Routledge.
Journals
- Current Research in Ecological and Social Psychology
- Ecopsychology
- Energy Policy
- Energy Research and Social Science
- Environment & Behaviour
- Environment and Planning A; C
- Environmental Values
- Frontiers in Psychology, Environmental Psychology section
- Global Environmental Change
- Health and Place
- International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
- Journal of Architectural and Planning Research
- Journal of Environmental Psychology
- Journal of Global Environmental Psychology
- Landscape and Urban Planning
- Nature Climate Change
- Nature Human Behavior
- People and Nature
- Psyecology
- Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour
- Urban Forestry and Urban Greening
- Wellbeing, Space and Society
- Zietschrift Umweltpsychologie
Articles in The Psychologist
- Sarah Golding, Anna Bornioli, George Warren and Melissa Marselle (2024, April) A home for environmental psychology in uncertain times. The Psychologist https://www.bps.org.uk/psychologist/home-environmental-psychology-uncertain-times
- Ian Walker interviewed by Jon Sutton (2024, March)The world is starting to realise we were the missing link. The Psychologist. https://www.bps.org.uk/psychologist/world-starting-realise-we-were-missing-link
- Miles Richardson (2023, September) What psychological endeavour is greater than a habitable planet? The Psychologist. https://www.bps.org.uk/psychologist/what-psychological-endeavour-greater-habitable-planet
- Melissa Marselle & Sarah Payne (2023, September) Ahead of its time. The Psychologist. https://www.bps.org.uk/psychologist/ahead-its-time
- Lorriane Whitmarsh (2020, September) 'Almost every area of psychology has something to contribute to addressing climate change. The Psychologist https://www.bps.org.uk/psychologist/almost-every-area-psychology-has-something-contribute-addressing-climate-change
- Birgitta Gatersleben and Niamh Murtagh (2012, September) The psychology of sustainable transport. The Psychologist. https://www.bps.org.uk/psychologist/psychology-sustainable-transport
- Alexa Spence, Nick Pidgeon and David Uzzell (2009, February) Climate change – psychology's contribution. The Psychologist. https://www.bps.org.uk/psychologist/climate-change-psychologys-contribution
- Patrick Devine-Wright interviewed by Jon Sutton (2007, February) An energetic approach. The Psychologist. https://www.bps.org.uk/psychologist/energetic-approach
Networks
Networks for Environmental Psychologists
- American Psychological Association, Division 34: Society for Environmental, Population and Conservation Psychology
- International Association of Applied Psychology, Division of Environmental Psychology
- Canadian Psychological Association, Environmental Psychology Section
- German Psychological Society, Environmental Psychology Section
- International Association of People-Environment Studies (IAPS)
- Environmental Design Research Association (EDRA)
National networks of Environmental Psychology
- UK - British Environmental Psychology Society (BrEPS) https://www.breps.co.uk/
- France - French Association for Research in Environmental Psychology (ARPENV)
- Japan - Man–Environment Relations Association (MERA)
- Norway - Norwegian Network for Environmental Psychology
- Spain & Portugal - The Asociación de Psicología Ambiental (PSICAMB)
- Sweden - Swedish Area Group in Environmental Psychology
- Switzerland - IPU Switzerland - Association for Environmental Psychology
University Departments & Research Groups
- Social psychology, risk & environment (Cardiff University)
- SustainNET (Edge Hill University)
- Social, Economic and Geographical Sciences department (James Hutton Institute, Scotland)
- PlanetLAB - Environmental behaviour (and psychology) research lab (London School of Economics)
- School of Environment, Earth, and Ecosystem Sciences (Open University)
- Social & Environmental Research Group (University of Bath)
- Nature Connectedness Research Group (University of Derby)
- Environment & Sustainability Research Group (University of Exeter)
- European Centre for Environment and Human Health (ECEHH)(University of Exeter)
- Social, Environmental & Organisational Research Group (University of Exeter)
- Environmental & Geographical Psychology (University of Huddersfield)
- Behaviour & Ecology research group (University of Hull)
- Social Psychology Research Interest Group (incl. environmental issues) (University of Plymouth)
- Technology Acceptance Research Group: Energy and Environmental Technologies (TARG:ET) (University of Portsmouth)
- Daily Interactions & Everyday Places (research theme incl. EP)(University of Sunderland)
- Environmental Psychology Research Group (University of Surrey)
Interim committee
Dr Melissa Marselle (CPsychol, FHEA)
Co-Chair
Dr Melissa Marselle (CPsychol, FHEA) is a Lecturer in Environmental Psychology at the University of Surrey.
Her research focuses on biodiversity and its influence on mental health and wellbeing, and the application of behaviour change theory to understand the human causes of biodiversity loss to facilitate transformative change.
She was a contributing author to theIntergovernmental Panel of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) Values Assessment, member of EKLIPSE Expert Working Group on Biodiversity and Mental Health, and co-author of a World Health Organisation Europe report on green and blue spaces and mental health.
She is a member of the BPS Climate and Environment Action Coordinating Group, co-investigator within the ACCESS network.
Dr Chris Jones (CPsychol, FHEA)
Co-Chair
Dr Chris Jones (CPsychol, FHEA) is an Associate Professor of Applied Psychology at the University of Portsmouth where he leads the Technology Acceptance Research Group for Energy and Environmental Technologies (TARG:ET).
His research focuses on public perceptions and acceptance of new energy technologies and understanding the psychological bases of behavioural inconsistency in relation to environmentally significant behaviours.
He is a co-investigator within the ACCESS network, the social research-theme lead for theUK-HyRES hub and is academic co-chair of BrEPS.
He is also currently a co-investigator on large, interdisciplinary research projects in off-grid electric vehicle charging (FEVER) and innovations in residential-sector heating (GasNetNew).
Dr Stephanie Wilkie (CPsychol, AFBPsS, SFHEA)
Dr Stephanie Wilkie (CPsychol, AFBPsS, SFHEA) is an Associate Professor in Environmental Psychology at the University of Sunderland.
Her research uses place-related social identity and individual differences to investigate the influence of both built and natural environments on health, wellbeing, and behaviour.
As part of this research programme, her work also bridges into areas of health behaviour change, air quality, and facilitating engagement with nature to enhance physical activity. She is academic co-chair of BrEPS.
Dr Edward Edgerton (CPsychol)
Dr Edward Edgerton (CPsychol) is a Reader in Psychology at the University of the West of Scotland.
He is an experienced researcher in environmental psychology and has played a leading role in a wide range of environment-behaviour projects including:
- predictors of participation in home-composting schemes
- environmental design within a psychiatric hospital
- the role of the learning environment in the educational process
- dementia friendly design in care homes
He was President of the International Association of People-environment Studies (IAPS) from 2012 until 2014.
Dr Stacey Heath (CPsychol)
Dr Stacey Heath (CPsychol) is a Lecturer in Social and Environmental Psychology at The Open University.
Her research focuses on the intricate dynamics of human-environment interactions, particularly in the context of societal and ecological transformations.
Adopting an intersectional approach, Dr Heath integrates theoretical concepts from social and environmental psychology into geographical dimensions to explore the profound impacts of anthropogenic climate change on community health and wellbeing.
Dr Heath's recent research on the wellbeing impacts of flooding for the Healthy Adaptations Hub bridges interdisciplinary divides and the science policy interface.
She is also a member of the BPS Climate and Environment Action Coordinating Group, and an associate of the ACCESS network.
Professor (Emeritus) David Uzzell (CPsychol, FBPsS)
Professor (Emeritus) David Uzzell (CPsychol, FBPsS) has been an active researcher for forty years working principally in the area of environmental perceptions, attitudes and behaviour change; and with a particular interest in public understanding and action with regards to:
- climate change, social cohesion and social identity processes on environmental and heritage attitudes and behaviours
- place identity and responses to architecture and planning
- risk perception in relation to environmental health
He has spoken about environmental psychology research at the UN, the EU, and contributed to Spanish and UK government inquiries.
He was President of the International Association of People-environment Studies (IAPS) from 1998 to 2004.
Professor (Emeritus) David Canter (CPsychol, Hon FBPsS, FAPA, FAcSS)
Professor (Emeritus) David Canter (CPsychol, Hon FBPsS, FAPA, FAcSS) developed the first MSc in Environmental Psychology at The University of Surrey in 1973.
He later founded the Journal of Environmental Psychology with Ken Craik in 1980 and established the International Association of people-Environment Studies (IAPS) in 1982.
He has published many books and journal articles in the field of environmental psychology from 1968 to the present.
Building on his work in environmental cognition and experiences of place, he contributed to police investigations, developing Geographical Offender Profiling and the foundation of Investigative Psychology.
Dr Sarah Payne (CPsychol, AFBPsS, FHEA)
Dr Sarah Payne (CPsychol, AFBPsS, FHEA) is a Senior Lecturer in Environmental Psychology at the University of Surrey.
Her research focuses on soundscapes and its role in psychological restoration and nature connectedness, as well as staff perceptions of healthcare environments.
Dr Payne utilises interdisciplinary approaches to explore people's cognitive, affective, and behavioural transactions with places and its relationship with the design of the environment.
She is Treasurer of the International Association of People-Environment Studies, and previously a convenor of their Restorative Environments Network and Sensory Environments Network.
She is on the organising committee of the Urban Sound Symposium.
Tony Wainwright
Join
How do I join the Environmental Psychology Section?
The Environmental Psychology Section draws together a community of those interested in understanding how humans, as individuals or groups, interact with their natural and built environments - how these environments are perceived and experienced; their influence on human behaviour and well‐being; and how we affect the environments around us.
Membership of the Environmental Psychology Section is only open to BPS members.
- Apply to join the section (students, affiliates, e-subscribers)
- Apply to join the section (graduate, chartered, and in-training members)
If you are not already a BPS member, you can join the Environmental Psychology Section at the same time as applying for membership of the society.
What the section does for you
- Opportunities to interact with other environmental psychologists in the UK
- Opportunities to influence and take part in the development of the Section
- Opportunity to voice your opinion, either at the Section's AGM and/or by becoming a member of the section's committee
- Regular updates via our membership announcement e-mail list
Member Announcement Email List
The Environmental Psychology Section uses its membership announcement email list to inform its members of activities and initiatives that are relevant to their interests and to make requests for engagement on topical issues.
By becoming a member of the Section you are automatically added to the announcement list.
To receive these emails you will need to:
- become a member of the Environmental Psychology Section
- opt into receiving email communication and provide a working email address
These preferences can be updated by logging into your member portal.
If you have any queries, please contact Member Network Services
To assist us in responding to your query please make sure to include your membership number and quote 'Environmental Psychology Section announcement email' in the subject line.
Getting involved with the Environmental Psychology Section committee
The Environmental Psychology Section relies on a wide range of people getting involved, and the work of the Section is largely achieved through the dedication of unpaid volunteers.
Our volunteers come from a wide range of different backgrounds, whether they be practitioners or academics, or full members or student members, and together form an open and inclusive community.