Environmental psychology

Environmental psychologists study the role of the environment in explaining human behavior and experience, investigating, for example, the effects of environmental characteristics (e.g., noise, presence of natural elements) on our behavior and well-being, or how space and environmental information can be used to achieve behavioral or cognitive goals.
Offering a concise but in-depth excursion into this sub-discipline of psychology, this course aims to assist students in acquiring solid expertise in knowledge and skills regarding how to understand, compare, and apply theories about human-environment interrelationships. The scope of the course ranges from classical ideas to the state-of-the-art in research and research methodologies on topics such as environmental perception, perception of safety, restoration from stress, pro-environmental behavior, and the experience of virtual environments.
Throughout the course the following topics will be addressed:

• The origin, scope, and structure of the discipline of environmental psychology
• Climate crisis and pro-environmental behavior
• Environmental values and attitudes
• Environmental appraisals and preferences
• Safety perception
• Spatial cognition
• Environments as a source of stress and as a source of restoration from stress
• Research methods in environmental psychology (e.g., ecological validity, use of representations such as photographs or virtual environments)

Relation with other subjects:

This course provides a complementary perspective to courses on perception, human-technology interaction, and design, focusing on environmental perception and on the interaction between humans and their surroundings.

Relevance of the subject for the domain:

The course is relevant for any student interested in how humans interact with and are influenced by their environment. The course relates closely to the fields of psychology, human behavior, environmental perception, and architecture.

Additional information:
The course consists of lectures and workshops. The main focus of the lectures is on theory: each lecture presents a specific topic, such as environmental cognition, environmental appraisal and preference, or stress restoration, and the relevant theories on that topic. Most lectures have a corresponding interactive workshop, which aims to provide a hands-on experience with the course material: for example, in small groups or through individual exercises, we will debate different topics, brainstorm on appropriate research methods to answer a research question, or apply research findings to real-life problems. Some workshops require submitting materials beforehand. The course focuses on independent learning, and students are expected to read and master both classical texts in environmental psychology, as well as state-of-the-art empirical work. Lastly, the course has two mandatory group assignments which aim to familiarize students with the course material by comparing or applying theories taught in the lectures.

After successful completion of the course, the student is able to:

• describe the content, scope, and common methodologies of the discipline of environmental psychology.
• explain, apply, and critically examine key theoretical concepts, models, and mechanisms in environmental psychology and environment-behavior research in order to formulate theoretically grounded recommendations for challenges in human-environment interactions.
• explain the rationale behind common research methodologies in environmental psychology, including their strengths, limitations, and appropriate contexts of use.
• apply empirical evidence presented in the literature of environmental psychology to formulate accurate and evidence-based recommendations for challenges in human-environment interactions.

You must meet one of the following collections of requirements

• Collection 1
• Completed Final examination Bsc program
• Collection 2
• Completed Pre-Master

• Selected book chapters and articles