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Summary IOP1503
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- University Of South Africa (Unisa)
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IOP1503 – Environmental Psychology - 2017Tier 1: Personal-Environmental Relations
Study Unit 1: Why Environmental Psychology?
1.1 Introduction
Environmental psychology is the study of the interactions between people and their environment.
Human behaviour and well-being in relation to the large-scale environment.
Large-scale environment refers to homes and offices which can be described in terms of several physical
and social dimensions.
1.2 A Brief History of Environmental Psychology
Its ability of improving the built environment and the stewardship of natural resources.
The fact that it is carried out in everyday settings.
It considers the person and setting to be a holistic entity.
Recognises that individuals actively cope with and shape settings.
The fact that it is often performed together with other disciplines.
The issue of multidisciplinary involved in human interaction.
The issue of it being a behavioural science which focuses on the effect of the environment on people’s
behaviour and vice versa.
It is a systematic interrelationship – an orderly, predictable relationship that exists between
dependent systems.
The issue of the environment which is the setting in which the behaviour takes place.
Individual behaviour where the individual’s reaction to a certain environmental stimulus is
investigated.
1.3 Elements involved in Environmental Psychology
3 Important Concepts;
1. The Environment
a. Unspecified physical setting.
b. Any natural setting or human-made setting.
c. Any work setting determined by a discipline.
2. A Person or Organism
3. Related Behaviour
1.3.2 A Formula for understanding Environmental Psychology
B = f (P, E)
An environment can influence a person’s behaviour and a person can also influence their environment.
,The formula B = f (P, E) remains the basis of all behavioural approaches.
The person (P) must be seen as imagining an environment where certain behaviour could be expected.
1.4.1 The Relationship between Humans and Their Natural Environment
Outdoor Air Quality – Air Pollution. Unhealthy air is expensive.
Water Quality - Contamination of water can come from both point sites and nonpoint sources.
Toxics and Waste.
Healthy Homes and Communities.
Infrastructure and surveillance.
Global environmental health.
5 Assumptions about the relationship between humans and their natural environment (the earth):
1. The earth is the only suitable habitat we have.
2. The earth’s resources are limited.
3. The earth as a planet has been, and continues to be, profoundly affected by life.
4. The effects of land use by humans tend to be increasing.
5. Sustained life on earth is a characteristic of ecosystems and not of individuals.
1.4.2 The Impact of the Environment and Business Organisations
a. The Vision and Strategy of the Organisation
b. Empowering Employees with Environmental Knowledge and Skills
c. Culture of the Organisation
d. Research and Development
e. Marketing
f. The Implementation of Sound Ethical Business Practices
If the management encourages its employees to be more environmentally aware in their work activities,
then the contribution made to sustain the natural environment is assured. Sustainable development of
the natural environment makes good business sense.
1.5 Current Trends Influencing Environmental Psychology
There is a delicate balance between humans and the environment as the natural environment is
vulnerable.
a. Population Trends
b. Resource depletion and environmental degradation
c. Public Policy and the Environment
d. Human behaviour and the Environment
,1.6 How Environmental Psychology can improve the World
Awareness of and adhering to environmental policies.
Awareness of the space around us, and how it affects the behaviour of people.
Green architectural design and green marketing.
Making a commitment to ethical environmental behaviour.
Decreasing costs and enhancing savings.
Learning from others such as environmental heroes and modelling their behaviour.
Taking into account stress, personal space, territoriality, privacy, crowding, and noise.
1.6.7 Green Design
Some of the ideas that can be put into practice include:
Design spaces to have natural ventilation.
Solar panels on your roof in order to save on electricity.
Water conservation features can be installed to catch rain water.
Install waste disposable systems so that more materials are recycled in order to protect the
environment.
1.6.8 Social Design
Benefits the people who work and live in an environment by incorporating their needs into the design of
the building.
Study Unit 2 – Theories in Environmental Psychology
2.2 Behavioural Theories
Give meaning and provide generalisations that give order and meaning to specific observations about
person-environment relations.
2.2.1 Stimulus Theories
Environment as full of sensory information that guides our behaviour. Adaptation level explains that how
a person responds is individualised and can differ from person to person.
, 2.2.2 Arousal Theories
How we act depends on how stirred up we are.
Behaviour and performance will change depending on whether we are overloaded or whether we are
deprived of any stimulus. This can also be very subjective.
Restricted environmental stimulation theory (known as ‘REST’!) refers to when there is too little
stimulation and a person can become bored.
2.2.3 Stress Theories
Emphasise the role of the body, emotions and thinking in person-environment interaction.
Environmental stressors can be classified as:
acute stressors (danger)
ambient stressors (background noise)
daily hassles (misplacing or losing things)
When you are faced with a stressful situation, there are two types of reactions.
One is a physical response and the other is a psychological response.
On the physical side, the general adaptation syndrome explains that your body will display a certain
reaction when faced with stress.
The psychological side of stress emphasises the role of cognitive evaluation – that means our ability to
assess the seriousness of a situation and cope on an emotional level with stress.
2.2.4 Control Theories
Focus on the amount of control someone may have in a particular situation. The environment can limit
the behaviour of a person within that environment depending on how much control that person has over
it.
2.2.5 Behaviour Setting Theories
Focus on the fact that certain settings make you behave in a certain way. Focus is mainly on the features
of a particular setting such as its rules and characteristics, whereas the other theories focus mostly on the
physical or psychological effect it has on people.
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