The Impact of Casual Observation on Environmental Appreciation and Personal Wellbeing

Spending time in nature fosters pro-environmental attitudes and behaviors, which are essential for achieving ecological resilience in the face of climate change. Spending time outdoors is additionally associated with several physiological and psychological benefits, including decreased pulse rate, improved attention regulation, and increased happiness. In this thesis, I consider my experience practicing casual observation in Eugene, Oregon’s Alton Baker Park and examine the impact of casual observation on environmental appreciation and personal wellbeing. Casual observation is defined in this research as the practice of intentionally observing and considering one’s outdoor surroundings without any predetermined length of time, strict methodology, or anticipated result. Species identifications, observations, and reflections were recorded during each of fourteen visits to the field site, which were compiled and uploaded onto a website. Casual observation was found to enhance appreciation for species encountered at the field site, as well as foster feelings of happiness and relaxation. Thus, casual observation should be considered a useful tool when addressing issues of ecological and personal resiliency.

Grantor dc:publisher

University of Oregon

Year dc:date.issued

2023

Author dc:creator

• Warner, Calvin

• Observation
• Wellbeing
• Field Notes
• Potopoints
• Community Science
• Sense of place

Statement dc:rights

• Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 4.0-US

Language dc:language.iso

en_US

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/1794/28967

OAI record oai:identifier

https://scholarsbank.uoregon.edu/server/oai/request?verb=GetRecord&metadataPrefix=dim&identifier=oai%3Ascholarsbank.uoregon.edu%3A1794%2F28967