Addressing environmental misperceptions for nature recovery

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Conservation Biology
• Psychology

Background:

• Shifting baseline syndrome (SBS) challenges conservation by altering perceptions of environmental change.
• Existing frameworks often focus on nature loss, neglecting nature recovery and cognitive mechanisms.
• Misperceptions of environmental change can lower societal expectations for ecological restoration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To broaden the conceptualization of SBS to include nature recovery and cognitive processes.
• To investigate the prevalence and drivers of environmental misperceptions in Qunli New Town, Harbin, China.
• To inform place-based strategies for addressing cognitive and structural dimensions of misperceptions.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative interviews with 42 residents to explore environmental misperceptions and cognitive processes.
• Quantitative online survey of 1018 residents to assess SBS scale and influencing factors.
• Comparison of perceived environmental conditions with actual measurements to determine perception accuracy.

Main Results:

• Inaccurate environmental perceptions were associated with media consumption (e.g., television).
• Direct nature interaction did not significantly improve ecological understanding for most participants.
• Deeper personal engagement with nature correlated positively with ecological understanding.
• Cognitive errors (omission, commission) were linked to basic cognitive functions (sensation, attention, memory, learning, thinking).

Conclusions:

• Place-based strategies are needed to address both structural and cognitive aspects of environmental misperceptions.
• Reducing misperceptions is crucial for effective societal response to environmental change.
• Addressing SBS supports resilient, sustainable, and inclusive societies aligned with global goals.