Department of Psychology, University of Alberta, P-217 Biological Sciences Building, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2R3, Canada; Forensic Psychiatry, Alberta Hospital Edmonton, 17480 Fort Road, Box 307, Edmonton, Alberta T5J 2J7, Canada.
Forensic Psychiatry, Alberta Hospital Edmonton, 17480 Fort Road, Box 307, Edmonton, Alberta T5J 2J7, Canada.
Med Hypotheses. 2018 Jan;110:38-41. doi: 10.1016/j.mehy.2017.10.027. Epub 2017 Oct 28.
Increasing industrialization, urbanization, and a failure of many world leaders to appreciate the consequences of climate change are deleteriously impacting quality of life as well as diminishing the prospects for long term survival. Economic competitiveness and corporate profitability often pre-empt environmental concerns. The calving of an iceberg in Antarctica and the hurricane activity in the Caribbean during 2017 are unfortunate illustrations of the continuing escalation of environmental issues. We provide historical and current evidence for the importance of Nature Exposure (NE) and introduce the continuum Nature Exposure Sufficiency (NES) and Insufficiency (NEI). Insufficiency includes impoverished environments (e.g., slums and prisons) where nature exposure is very limited. Nature Exposure Sufficiency (NES) is an optimal amount of exposure to nature where many benefits such as reinvigoration can be obtained by everyone. NES also has several benefits for individuals with various health conditions such as arthritis, dementia, or depression. The benefits of NE are not just derivable from parks, forests, and other natural settings. Interiors of buildings and homes can be enhanced with plants and even pictures or objects from nature. Additionally, there is abundant evidence indicating that virtual and artificial environments depicting nature can provide substantial NE and therefore contribute to general wellbeing. Besides the difficulty in achieving cooperation amongst nations, corporations, and other collectives in developing and implementing long range plans to deal with climate change, there is also sometimes an aversion at the individual level whereby people are unwilling to experience nature due to insects and other discomforts. Such individuals are often averse to supplanting the comforts of home, even temporarily, with inadequate facilities that are seemingly less pleasant than their typical dwellings. We propose using the term Nature Exposure Aversion (NEA) to describe such behavior and propose that the aversion is largely due to conditioning. Such behavior may be addressed through desensitization in virtual environments which in turn may contribute to an endorsement of the view that climate change is occurring and must be dealt with. The issues of Nature Exposure Sufficiency and Insufficiency are intertwined with the sustainability of the planet and future planning and efforts to deal with the environment. If the outcome is unfavorable, the descent of civilization will be more rapid than the ascent.
工业化、城市化的不断推进，以及许多世界领导人未能意识到气候变化的后果，正在对生活质量产生有害影响，并降低了长期生存的前景。经济竞争力和企业盈利能力往往优先于环境问题。2017 年南极洲冰山崩解和加勒比飓风活动就是环境问题持续升级的不幸例证。我们提供了自然暴露（NE）重要性的历史和现状证据，并引入了连续的自然暴露充足（NES）和不足（NEI）。不足包括自然暴露非常有限的贫困环境（例如贫民窟和监狱）。自然暴露充足（NES）是指暴露在自然环境中的适度水平，每个人都可以从中获得恢复活力等益处。NES 对关节炎、痴呆症或抑郁症等各种健康状况的个人也有许多益处。自然暴露的好处不仅可以从公园、森林和其他自然环境中获得。建筑物和住宅的内部可以通过植物，甚至来自自然的图片或物品来增强。此外，有大量证据表明，描绘自然的虚拟和人工环境可以提供大量的自然暴露，从而有助于整体幸福感。除了各国、企业和其他团体在制定和实施应对气候变化的长期计划方面难以合作之外，个人有时也会不愿意接触自然，因为他们会害怕昆虫和其他不适。这些人往往不愿意用不那么舒适的设施来替代家的舒适，即使是暂时的，因为这些设施似乎不如他们典型的住所舒适。我们提出使用“自然暴露回避”（NEA）一词来描述这种行为，并提出这种回避主要是由于条件作用。这种行为可以通过虚拟环境中的脱敏来解决，这反过来又可能有助于人们认可气候变化正在发生，必须加以应对。自然暴露充足和不足的问题与地球的可持续性以及未来的规划和应对环境的努力交织在一起。如果结果不利，文明的衰落将比上升更快。
