Connectedness to Nature Test
Do you feel emotionally connected to the natural world?
Environmental sustainability is one of the major social issues of the modern world. Psychologists Dr. Cynthia Frantz and Dr. Stephan Mayer of Oberlin College have found that connection to nature is an important predictor of environmentally sound behavior and subjective well-being. Experiencing a sense of belonging to the natural world may be a prerequisite for increasing environmental awareness.
Do you feel a connectedness to nature? For each of the following statements, indicate your level of agreement below.
Question 1 of 14
When I think of my place on Earth, I consider myself to be a top member of a hierarchy that exists in nature.
| Disagree | Agree |
NEXT
The IDRlabs Connectedness to Nature Test (IDR-CNT©) was developed by, and is the exclusive property of, IDRlabs International. The IDR-CNT was informed by the work of psychologists Dr. Cynthia Frantz and Dr. Stephan Mayer of Oberlin College. The present test is not associated with any professionals or professional bodies affiliated with this written work.
The test provides feedback such as the following: Low Connectedness to Nature: Your score indicates that you do not have much of a connection to nature, but you’re not alone. Many people in today’s society are experiencing a disconnect from the natural world. This lack of connectedness to nature may be a conscious choice, or it may be due to other reasons such as urban sprawl, lack of free time, or safety concerns. Without a solid connection to nature, you may struggle to feel interested in protecting the natural environment or readily acknowledge how dependent we are on nature (for food, well-being, the climate, and so on). You may also fail to see the impact individual actions can have on the natural world.
Moderate Connectedness to Nature: Your score indicates that while you do have a connection to nature at times, you still identify yourself as largely separate from the natural world. You enjoy being in nature and actively seek out opportunities to do so, but while interacting with nature, you alternate between feeling a sense of ownership and a sense of kinship. It is possible that you would enjoy a greater connectedness to nature if you had more accessible natural spaces in your life, increased time for leisure and recreation, or confidence in your ability to stay safe in nature.
High Connectedness to Nature: Your score indicates that you have a strong connection to nature. You don’t view the natural world as just a collection of trees, rocks, and animals but as an immense community all of its own — a community you feel that you belong to. You believe your own personal welfare is inextricably linked with the welfare of the natural world; that indeed we should work to preserve and protect nature since we all depend on it for our wellbeing and our very lives. You not only recognize your own impact on the environment but you are invested in having others acknowledge and reduce their personal impact as well. A sense of belonging to nature benefits your health, productivity, and all of your relationships.
As the developers and publishers of this free Connectedness to Nature Test, we have striven to make this test as reliable and valid as possible by subjecting it to statistical controls and validation. However, free online quizzes such as the present one do not provide professional assessments or recommendations of any kind; the test is provided entirely “as-is.” For more information about any of our online tests and quizzes, please consult our Terms of Service.
Why Use This Test?
1. Free. This Connectedness to Nature Test is available to you free of charge and will allow you to obtain your score related to your sense of belonging to the natural world.
2. Social relevance. Environmental sustainability is a major social issue; connection to nature is an important predictor of ecological behavior and subjective wellbeing.
3. Statistical controls. Statistical analysis of the test is conducted to ensure maximum accuracy and validity of the test scores.
4. Made by professionals. The present test has been made with the advice of people who work professionally with psychology and individual differences research.