Undergraduate Honors Theses

Date of Award

Spring 4-2016

Program

Psychology

Supervisor

Tony Vernon, Ph.D.

Second Advisor

Erica Giammarco, M.Sc.

Abstract

Prior research has shown that nature relatedness (NR) and trait emotional intelligence (trait EI) are both associated with various well-being measures (Bhullar, Schutte, & Malouff, 2013; Furnham & Petrides, 2003; Nisbet, Zelenski, & Murphy, 2011; Zelenski & Nisbet, 2014); however, no prior research has examined the relationship between NR and trait EI. The current study was undertaken to determine which well-being measures are associated with NR and trait EI, and to determine if there is any association between NR and trait EI. Participants were 315 adults from 54 countries, who completed online questionnaires. Questionnaires included the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire (TEIQue-SF), the Nature Relatedness Scale (NR Scale) and five well-being questionnaires. Based on the biophilia hypothesis (Wilson, 1983), which states that humans have an innate need to connect with other life forms, it was hypothesized that well-being would be associated with NR and trait EI. Also based on the biophilia hypothesis, it was hypothesized that NR would positively associated with each other due to an underlying general connectedness factor. Correlational analyses showed that all well-being measures were significantly associated with NR and trait EI, and that NR was significantly associated with trait EI. Factor analysis showed an underlying factor shared by the three NR subscales, and the four subscales and four auxiliary questions of the TEIQue-SF. This underlying common factor was labelled general connectedness. Results support the view, based on the biophilia hypothesis, that nature relatedness and trait emotional intelligence may be associated with well-being and with each other, because both traits fulfill our innate need to connect with other life forms.

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