Factors That Can Undermine the Psychological Benefits of Coastal Environments

2015/07/03 by Kayleigh J. Wyles, Sabine Pahl, Katrina Thomas +2 · 152 citations
Environmental Science · Psychology · #Biology #Ecology #Economics #Environmental Education and Sustainability #Environmental resource management #Environmental science #Geography #Litter #Marine debris #Preference #Psychology #Social connectedness #Social psychology #Urban Green Space and Health

paper · pdf · doi:10.1177/0013916515592177

published in Environment and Behavior 48(9), 1095-1126 (SAGE Publishing)

openalex publication_date 2015/07/03 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/27

Abstract

The beneficial effects of blue environments have been well documented; however, we do not know how marine litter might modify these effects. Three studies adopted a picture-rating task to examine the influence of litter on preference, perceived restorative quality, and psychological impacts. Photographs varied the presence of marine litter (Study 1) and the type of litter (Studies 2 and 3). The influence of tide and the role of connectedness were also explored. Using both quantitative and qualitative methods, it was shown that litter can undermine the psychological benefits that the coast ordinarily provides, thus demonstrating that, in addition to environmental costs of marine litter, there are also costs to people. Litter stemming from the public had the most negative impact. This research extends our understanding of the psychological benefits from natural coastal environments and the threats to these benefits from abundant and increasing marine litter.

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