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Meaning in Nature: Meaning in Life as a Mediator of the Relationship Between Nature Connectedness and Well-Being

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Abstract

Research has established nature connectedness as a reliable correlate of well-being. In the current research, we examined whether meaning in life mediated the association between nature connectedness and well-being. In Study 1, 311 undergraduates completed multiple measures of nature connectedness, multiple measures of meaning in life, and multiple measures of well-being. Mediational analyses revealed that meaning in life fully mediated the association between nature connectedness and well-being. In Study 2, we examined whether mediation of the association between nature connectedness and well-being by meaning in life could be demonstrated alongside a previously documented mediation of the association between religiousness and well-being by meaning in life. Undergraduates (N = 227) completed measures of nature connectedness, religiousness, meaning in life, and well-being. Mediational analyses revealed that meaning in life fully mediated both the association between nature connectedness and well-being and the association between religiousness and well-being.

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  1. Department of Psychology, Grant MacEwan University, PO Box 1796, Edmonton, AB, T5J 2P2, Canada

    Andrew J. Howell & Holli-Anne Passmore

  2. Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Grant MacEwan University, Edmonton, AB, Canada

    Karen Buro

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  1. Andrew J. Howell
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Correspondence to Andrew J. Howell.

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Howell, A.J., Passmore, HA. & Buro, K. Meaning in Nature: Meaning in Life as a Mediator of the Relationship Between Nature Connectedness and Well-Being. J Happiness Stud 14, 1681–1696 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-012-9403-x

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