Inclusion Of Nature In Self Research Articles

The impact of virtual reality exposure on ocean connectedness and consumer responses to single-use packaging

Efforts to mitigate plastic packaging pollution include behavioural strategies aimed at shifting consumer perceptions and behaviour. Connectedness to nature, and more recently ocean connectedness, has been associated with pro-environmental intentions regarding single-use packaging. Two experimental studies were conducted to examine the potential of Virtual Reality (VR) technologies in promoting ocean connectedness and shifting consumer perceptions around packaging and its environmental qualities.To assess the influence of the VR content, in Study 1 (n = 94), participants were briefly exposed to an oceanic VR environment or an urban VR experience. Levels of ocean connectedness, both explicit and implicit, were measured after the VR manipulation using an Inclusion of Nature in Self (INS) measure and an Implicit Association Test (IAT). Participants then rated a variety of packaging options that were systematically manipulated in terms of type of raw material (e.g. plastic) and recyclability. The ocean VR condition showed higher levels of ocean connectedness on the adapted explicit INS measure, but not on the IAT measure, and there were no differences between the conditions in perceptions around packaging materials.Study 2 (n = 118) expanded on the previous study by adding a third condition: the participants were exposed to an oceanic VR environment, a built VR environment, or a non-VR task (cognitive task). The ocean VR condition showed higher levels of explicit ocean connectedness, as measured with the INS, than the other two conditions, but again there were no differences in implicit ocean connectedness. However, the ocean VR condition showed more critical perceptions around packaging overall in comparison to the built VR condition. We conclude that a brief immersive oceanic VR experience can influence explicit ocean connectedness, as measured with the INS, but its influence on packaging perceptions was more limited.

Human connection with nature improves wellbeing and pro-environmental behavior: A literature review

Given the world's continuous environmental concerns, there is a need for increased participation in nature protection. The ecological crisis of the last decade on Earth has become one of the causes of the rupture of society's relationship with nature. Such relationships can predict diverse attitudes, concerns, intentions, and pro-environmental behavior (PEB). A systematic literature review (SLR) aims to compare, study, and analyze journal articles that relate to issues related to nature as a major factor in pro-environmental behavior. The results of selecting articles indexed by SCOPUS found as many as 1716 publications. The 50 open-access publications of articles were chosen based on specific criteria and further examined to identify eight final articles that align with the Inclusion of Nature in Self (INS) scale. Pro-environmental behavior strengthens human relationships with nature and encourages a sense of ownership and involvement with the environment. Pro-environmental behavior refers to behaviors that are beneficial to the environment, such as supporting conservation policies, recycling, and participating in nature. Research using INS scale, which focuses on connections with nature, still has significant potential and should persist in making contributions to science and humanity.

Gratitude letters to nature: Effects on self-nature representations and pro-environmental behavioral intentions

Although gratitude is often defined as an emotion that motivates reciprocity and social connectedness, people can also experience gratitude to nonhuman entities such as nature. Despite expressions of gratitude to nature being common in many cultures, little research has examined its implications for sustainability. In two studies, we explored how writing letters of gratitude to nature increase pro-environmental behavior by leading people to see nature as large and by leading to more inclusion of nature in one's self-concept. Study 1 compared the effects of nature gratitude letters to gratitude letters to built environments and to a control condition, finding that nature gratitude letters led to greater inclusion of nature in self and greater perceptions of nature size. Although there was no direct effect on intentions to act pro-environmentally, nature gratitude letters had indirect effects leading to greater pro-environmental intentions via both increased nature size and nature inclusion. Study 2 replicated these findings and explored two potential moderators: biospheric value orientation and personal norms of positive reciprocity. Replicating Study 1, nature gratitude letters led to more nature inclusion and greater nature size, and they produced stronger self-transcendent emotions and more pro-environmental behavioral intentions. Further, an interaction showed that the benefits of nature gratitude letters on pro-environmental behavioral intentions was only significant among those with relatively greater endorsement of biospheric values. Implications for sustainability and emotions research are discussed.

Nature connectedness connects the visibility of trees through windows and mental wellbeing: a study on the “3 visible trees” component of the 3-30-300 rule

ABSTRACT To examine the mediatory role of nature connectedness between tree visibility through windows and mental wellbeing, we conducted a questionnaire survey and examined the mediation effect using both cross-sectional and semi-longitudinal mediation models. We evaluated nature connectedness using the Inclusion of Nature in Self (INS) scale and the Connectedness to Nature Scale (CNS) and measured mental wellbeing using the WHO-5 wellbeing index. Our results showed that participants who could see at least three trees through their windows reported higher levels of both nature connectedness and mental wellbeing compared to those without such visibility. Nature connectedness significantly mediated the relationship between the visibility of trees through windows and mental wellbeing, albeit with a somewhat limited effect. More broadly, this study provides additional evidence in support of the “3” component of the 3-30-300 “rule” for equitable access to greenspace in cities.

What does nature mean to you? A photo analysis of urban middle school students’ perceptions of nature

In the present study, we explore the perceptions of urban middle school students’ representations of nature using participatory photography and their nature connectedness. Preadolescents (N = 108, 6th grade, age 11–13) were asked to take a photo of what nature is to them and write a short description of what is in the image. In a mixed method study applying the ‘Inclusion of Nature in Self’ (INS) scale, we investigated (1) what are middle school students’ perceptions of nature as evidenced through their own photography, (2) what are the differences between students who are more connected with nature and those who are less connected and (3) how can photography be used as a tool to investigate students’ perceptions of nature? Students’ nature perceptions were diverse, with a majority showing plants and urban nature. Students mentioned positive emotions and aesthetic aspects of nature. Students who scored higher on the INS, defined as more connected to nature, photographed a greater diversity of phenomena and geographies, many outside of urban areas. Participatory photography proved to be an excellent choice for an inclusive data collection method in Education for Sustainable Development, especially for students with reading or writing difficulties or language barriers.

Understanding Austrian middle school students’ connectedness with nature

Fostering pro-environmental behavior to achieve a sustainable society is one goal of Education for Sustainable Development worldwide. Connectedness with nature positively correlates with pro-environmental behavior and therefore needs to be studied in detail. In this mixed-method study, applying the “Inclusion of Nature in Self” (INS)-scale, we investigated 1) how closely preadolescents from urban middle schools (n = 651, 6th grade) are connected with nature, 2) whether the type of school (general or academic track) or 3) the time spent outdoors influences students’ connectedness with nature. We also explored 4) students’ reasons for their specific INS level and 5) how reasons and levels interconnect. Data show that students’ reported nature connectedness differs significantly with school type and that the reasons for feeling connected to nature are diverse. Positive attitudes and emotions toward nature plus time spent outdoors seem to predict high connectedness with nature, indicating the importance of direct nature experiences.

Inclusion of nature in self and pro-nature beliefs: utilizing psychological scales in environmental management to Further understand if interconnectedness with nature supports sustainable outcomes – A case study in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand

ABSTRACT It has been asserted that to overcome nature degradation, environmental managers need to understand the ways in which people view themselves in relation to nature as this influences their beliefs and actions toward nature. To examine this assertion, this study explored how 960 subjects in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand reported themselves in relation to nature, and whether the way in which they viewed themselves in relation to nature influenced their pro-nature beliefs. Results suggested that most respondents perceive some degree of connectedness with nature despite viewing a distinction between themselves and nature. Results further indicate that respondents who perceived complete interconnectedness with nature were more likely to hold pro-nature beliefs. Conversely, respondents who perceived complete separation between self and nature were less likely to hold pro-nature beliefs. The findings suggest that positive environmental management outcomes may be more achievable if environmental managers focus on increasing individuals’ feelings of interconnectedness with nature to prompt and/or enhance pro-nature beliefs. The study calls attention to the merit of deployment of psychological scales in environmental management contexts, which are currently lacking, to understand the divergent ways in which people relate to nature to contribute to more effective environmental management programmes and policy.

Exploring Personal Development Workshops' Effect on Well-Being and Interconnectedness.

Introduction: Personal development workshops are increasingly popular. This study evaluated the relationships between the measures of well-being, interconnectedness, and extended perception in various workshops and explored which kinds of workshops and individual characteristics predicted changes in these outcomes. Materials and Methods: In a prospective, uncontrolled, within-participant design study, adult participants completed questionnaires and online tasks before and after personal development workshops. Three analyses were conducted: (1) examining the relationships between measures by using only pre-workshop measures using Spearman correlations; (2) exploring change scores pre- to post-workshop and workshop using Wilcoxon signed-rank test; (3) assessing workshop format and content, and individual characteristics as predictors of those change scores multivariate nonparametric regression. The following outcomes were collected: Well-being-Arizona Integrative Outcomes Scale, positive and negative affect, Dispositional Positive Emotions Scale-Compassion subscale, Sleep Quality Scale, Numeric Pain Rating Scale; Interconnectedness-Cloninger Self-Transcendence Scale, Inclusion of Nature in Self and Inclusion of the Other in Self; and Extended perception tasks-Intuition Jar, Quick Remote Viewing, Psychokinesis Bubble, and Time Estimation. The following potential predictor variables were collected: demographic, mental health, psychiatric and meditation history, Single General Self-Rated Health Question, Brief Five-Factor Inventory-10, and the Noetic Experience and Belief Scale. Workshop leaders also selected which format and content characteristics applied to their workshop. Results: Interconnectedness measures were significantly and positively correlated with well-being (ρ: 0.27 to 0.33), positive affect (ρ: 0.20 to 0.27), and compassion (ρ: 0.21 to 0.32), and they were negatively correlated with sleep disturbance (ρ: -0.13 to -0.16) and pain (ρ: -0.11 to -0.16). Extended perception task performance was not correlated with interconnectedness or well-being. General personal development workshops improved subjective interconnectedness, well-being, positive emotion, and compassion, and they reduced sleep disturbances, negative emotion, and pain (all p's < 0.00005). The lecture (p = 0.03), small groups (p = 0.001), pairs (p = 0.01), and discussion (p = 0.03) workshop formats were significant predictors of well-being outcomes. The workshop content categories of meditation (p = 0.0002) and technology tools (p = 0.01) were also predictive of well-being outcomes, with meditation being the most consistent predictor of positive well-being changes. Conscientiousness was the only significant individual characteristic predictor (p = 0.002), although it was associated with increases in some well-being measures and decreases in others. Conclusions: This study provides preliminary evidence for the positive relationship between the subjective sense of interconnectedness and multiple well-being measures and the beneficial effects of some personal development workshops.

Pilot perceptions of options to manage drone-wildlife interactions; associations with wildlife value orientations and connectedness to nature

Drone usage is increasing and drone-wildlife interactions are likely to increase in frequency and occurrence. These interactions can have adverse consequences for drones (e.g., damage or loss due to aggressive wildlife behaviour) and/or for wildlife (e.g., injury, disturbance). This study aims to understand how drone pilots perceive the acceptability of candidate management solutions, which could form possible codes of conduct. Commercial, conservation and recreational pilots (n = 285) were surveyed. Pilots considered 11 of 13 candidate management solutions to manage drone-wildlife interactions as acceptable (83.3% of all responses reflected greater acceptability than unacceptability), however, this support was associated with underlying values and beliefs, indexed by the Wildlife Value Orientations (WVO) and Inclusion of Nature in Self (INS) scales. Specifically, the higher a pilot scored on the social affiliation dimension of WVO, the more they supported a range of measures to avoid deleterious impacts on wildlife. Pilots with stronger Appropriate Use beliefs were less supportive of “planning and operational protocols” to reduce impacts. Pilots reporting no connection to nature (INS scale), were less supportive of planning and operational protocols to accommodate wildlife compared with pilots reporting some connection to nature, but the analysis was unbalanced. The broad level of support for most management among most pilots suggests pilots in our sample may be amenable to codes of conduct which minimise deleterious drone-wildlife interactions.

Self-nature representations: On the unique consequences of nature-self size on pro-environmental action

In three studies, we investigated the consequences of self-nature representations for pro-environmental action, focusing on the role of viewing nature as relatively larger than the self (i.e., nature-self size; NSS). Drawing on theories from the self, prosocial behavior, and emotions literatures, we anticipated that NSS would make unique contributions above and beyond inclusion of nature in self (INS) in predicting behaviors, beliefs, and emotions associated with conservation outcomes. In Study 1, greater INS and greater NSS uniquely predicted greater biospheric concern, performing more conservation behaviors, and holding more pro-environmental beliefs. However, only seeing nature as relatively larger than the self (NSS) uniquely predicted greater self-transcendence, stronger beliefs in anthropogenic climate change, and holding more liberal ideologies. Study 2 manipulated NSS without altering INS, consistent with a distinction between these two self-nature representations, and it found that increasing NSS inspired stronger prosocial emotions. Finally, Study 3 explored whether these size effects might be driven by views of nature size, self size, or their relative differences, and nature size provided the best account. In addition to suggesting a unique role for nature-self size and discussing how particular facets of nature-self size might matter in different contexts, the current work builds conceptual bridges with several psychological literatures and suggests new avenues for pro-environmental interventions.

Fourth graders’ connectedness to nature - Does cultural background matter?

Many refugees have entered European classrooms recently, making the classrooms culturally heterogeneous. Some key challenges in the future include productively dealing with different cultures within a country that may have different relationships to nature while still promoting Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). Previous studies show that having different relationships to nature leads to different environmental attitudes and that positive attitudes are a prerequisite for pro-environmental behavior. Environmental educators should take these findings into account. Despite the topicality of immigration in Europe, students with different cultural backgrounds living in the same country had not yet been investigated with regard to their connectedness to nature. Therefore, we surveyed German fourth graders (N = 1585, average age = 9.18 years) with different cultural backgrounds and used the Inclusion of Nature in Self (INS) scale to measure their connectedness to nature. The students were categorized into seven different cultural areas: Northwestern Europe, Eastern Europe, Southern Europe, Southwest Asia, Southeast Asia, North Africa, and Sub-Saharan Africa. We examined the cultural association with INS through two-level modeling, which also integrated gender, class affiliation, region (rural vs. Urban), and time spent in forests. While the cultural background showed no significant association with INS, the frequency of forest visits did. Environmental educators should therefore focus on genuine nature experiences to foster connectedness to nature.

How freshmen perceive Environmental Education (EE) and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD).

Concepts of 464 university freshmen towards Environmental Education (EE) and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) were analyzed. Responses were classified into seven main categories: ‘ecological aspects’, ‘ecological problems’, ‘economical aspects’, ‘social aspects’, ‘environmental attitudes’, ‘environmental behavior’ and ‘education’. Analyses of sustainability concepts show a large discrepancy between EE and ESD, whereby the latter includes an additional sub-group: ‘the next generation aspect’. Labeling individual sources of EE in a retrospective assessment identified the family as the most important source of knowledge, followed by media, school and outreach. Further differences were detected between students’ self-perception and their ideal conception of environmental behavior, by using the scale Inclusion of Nature in Self (INS). Only some EE statements produced higher (unfulfilled) expectations ‘economic aspects’, ‘environmental behavior’ and ‘ecological problems’. In contrast fewer (unfulfilled) expectations were observed in the categories of ‘education’ and ‘ecological aspects’.

Health impacts of environmental and social interventions designed to increase deprived communities’ access to urban woodlands: a mixed-methods study

BackgroundContact with natural environments can bring health benefits, but research is lacking on how changes in access to natural environments might improve health, especially for deprived populations.ObjectiveTo evaluate the health impacts of woodland environment interventions intended to increase communities’ engagement with these woodlands.DesignA prospective study of Forestry Commission Scotland’s Woods In and Around Towns (WIAT) programme in deprived communities to enhance public access to natural environments. The study investigated the impact that WIAT had on community-level mental health over time.SettingThree intervention and three control woodland sites, and associated communities within 1.5 km of the woodlands, located in central Scotland and eligible for WIAT support.ParticipantsA core community survey was administered at each site in three waves, at baseline and after each phase of intervention (n = 5460, panel A). The completed survey contained a nested longitudinal cohort (n = 609, panel B). Community members also undertook 6-monthly environmental audits at all sites (n = 256) and participated in post-intervention focus groups (n = 34).InterventionsPhase 1 involved physical changes to the woodlands, including footpaths, entrances and vegetation. Phase 2 involved community engagement events promoting woodland use.Main outcome measuresThe primary outcome was the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Other health measures included health-related quality of life (HRQoL) EuroQol-5 Dimensions (EQ-5D), physical activity (PA) [International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ)], connectedness to nature [Inclusion of Nature in Self (INS) scale] and social cohesion.ResultsThe PSS scores significantly increased in the intervention group and marginally decreased in the control group. Multilevel regression models showed a differential impact between the intervention and the control at survey wave 3 in panel A [B(unstandardised coefficient) 3.58, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.85 to 4.31;p &lt; 0.001] and in panel B [B3.03, 95% CI 1.54 to 4.52;p &lt; 0.001]. Using the same analytical approach, no significant change in HRQoL was associated with the intervention. Economic assessment included an illustrative cost–utility analysis and a cost–consequences analysis. The differential in stress between the intervention group and the control group was lower or non-significant in those who visited ‘nature’ in the previous year [panel A,B1.9, 95% CI 0.8 to 3.0;p &lt; 0.001; panel B,B0.64, 95% CI –1.60 to 2.88;p = 0.57]. The IPAQ score showed a positive association with the intervention for moderate levels of PA [panel B,B559.3, 95% CI 211.3 to 907.2;p = 0.002] and overall PA [panel B,B861.5, 95% CI 106.5 to 1616.4;p = 0.025]. The intervention was also associated with increased nature connectedness and social cohesion by wave 3 – significant for panel A only. Qualitative and quantitative evidence showed that interventions increased the perceived quality of the woodland environment and enhanced its enjoyment for different activities, but the increase in use of natural environments post intervention was only 6% (panel B).LimitationsThis study was limited to three intervention sites. External factors may be the primary influence on health outcomes.ConclusionsThe WIAT interventions did not improve community-level health within 6 months of completion, and hence there was no basis for demonstrating cost-effectiveness. However, the WIAT interventions are low cost (average £11.80 per person in the eligible population) and have potential for cost-effectiveness, if health benefits were found in the longer term.Future workUsing routinely collected data to consider a whole-programme evaluation is recommended.FundingThe National Institute for Health Research Public Health Research programme.

The personal context of student learning for sustainability: Results of a multi-university research study

Abstract The UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (DESD, 2005–2014) was an important framework and catalyst for increasing Sustainable Development (SD) efforts within academic institutions, worldwide. Tertiary institutions began to embed sustainability into the curriculum, although the extent has varied within and between institutions with many adopting an ad hoc approach. Previous studies of student learning outcomes were generally limited in scope and reported mixed results. Few studies systematically investigated the influence of sustainability education (SE) on student views, attitudes and behaviour across a range of contexts. This study adds to the field by using a common instrument that explored how SE contributed to student learning across multiple disciplines, institutions and countries. A quasi-experimental approach was adopted with tertiary students in ‘intervention’ and ‘control’ units. Data was collected using an online two-stage pre-post survey and included the Inclusion of Nature in Self (INS) and New Ecological Paradigm (NEP) scales and measures of selfreported behaviour. A series of snapshots of pre-test and post-test perspectives were taken across various terms of study during 2013–2015. Students' initial sustainability perspectives were found to be influenced by personal and educational factors such as gender, age, “culture” and discipline of study. Environmental worldviews were characterised by jointly strong ecocentric and anthropocentric orientations that represented a “utilitarian” view of human-nature relations. After controlling for pre-test scores, SE significantly increased post-test scores for several NEP dimensions compared to the control group however, the effect was weak and moderated by students' personal and educational context. Students exposed to SE also reported a cognitive shift in their attitudes/perceptions to sustainability that was linked to an increased INS score. The ad hoc approach to SE, combined with students' strong utilitarian worldview and mixed effects of SE indicated learning outcomes were far from certain and probably weak. The paper argued for a rethink of current educational approaches towards a more coherent and targeted educational strategy and concluded with recommendations for policy and praxis to enhance student learning for sustainability in higher education.

Location-based smartphone games in the context of environmental education and education for sustainable development: fostering connectedness to nature with Geogames

Geogames are complex location-based games for smartphones and they are part of a critical discussion within the community of environmental education. The aim of the study is to asses if smartphone games are suitable to foster connectedness to nature and if there are differences between a complex Geogame and a less-demanding treasure hunt. For this purpose, two established scales are used in a pre-post-test-design: the inclusion of nature in self (INS) and the disposition to connect to nature (DCN). Furthermore, the game-related enjoyment was controlled. The results reveal a significant increase of the INS for both game formats, with the strongest effect for the former more nature distant subjects. The DCN-scale shows a similar tendency but not a significant gain. Between the game formats, no significant difference is detectable. So, the main effect seems to be the location-based activity in nature guided by smartphones, not the complexity of a Geogame.

‘Love honey, hate honey bees’: reviving biophilia of elementary school students through environmental education program

The concept of emotional affinity and connection with nature using the term of ‘biophilia’ along with its counter-part ‘biophobia’ has been merely researched in the area of environmental education. In this study, it was hypothesized that children’s negative emotions (biophobia) such as fear towards insects can be changed into affinity (biophilia) through an environmental education program. One hundred and four third-grade students from an elementary school in Seoul, South Korea participated in the honey bee environmental education program, and their emotional changes were measured with Inclusion of Nature in Self and Connectedness to Nature Scale. The result after the program implementation showed that the participants’ affinity toward nature was significantly improved. This empirical study suggests that an environmental education programs on insects of which children initially feel scared can be effective in helping to overcome fear toward insects and nature, and to revive their innate biophilia. Especially, honey bees, one of the most crucial insect species providing priceless ecosystem services can be a good medium for environmental education program to promote children’s innate love towards nature. This study, to the authors’ knowledge, was the first research which attempted to link an insect-mediated environmental education program to children’s connectedness to nature with the biophilia–biophobia approach.

Exploring the human–nature relationship of conservation gardeners

Using a mail survey employing 4 connection to nature indicators—Connectedness to Nature, Nature Relatedness, Inclusion of Nature in Self, and Environmental Motives—we determine that conservation gardeners exhibit a strong multifaceted connection to nature. Results demonstrate that individuals have an emotional connection to nature, are pro-environmental, spend time in nature, and are motivated by non-human species and other people, as opposed to benefit for one's self. We conducted research with individuals ( n = 180) who had certified their property through a conservation gardening certification program in 1 of 3 regions in the US: Oregon, Illinois, or Delaware. This research provides information about the people who adopt environmentally friendly landscape practices and incorporate native plants into their landscape. Results of this research may aid in increasing sales of native plants and expanding conservation gardening programs. Cartwright K, Mitten D. 2017. Exploring the human–nature relationship of conservation gardeners. Native Plants Journal 18(3):212–225.

Experiencing Nature: Embodying Animals in Immersive Virtual Environments Increases Inclusion of Nature in Self and Involvement With Nature

Immersive virtual environments IVEs produce simulations that mimic unmediated sensory experiences. 3 experiments N = 228 tested how different modalities increase environmental involvement by allowing users to inhabit the body of animals in IVEs or watch the experience on video. Embodying sensory-rich experiences of animals in IVEs led to greater feeling of embodiment, perception of being present in the virtual world, and interconnection between the self and nature compared to video. Heightened interconnection with nature elicited greater perceptions of imminence of the environmental risk and involvement with nature, which persisted for 1 week. Although the effect sizes were small to moderate, findings suggest that embodied experiences in IVEs may be an effective tool to promote involvement with environmental issues.

The extended Inclusion of Nature in Self scale

By relying on various theoretical paradigms, extant research has developed several measurement tools for the assessment of individual environmental identity. One of the most important such tools is the Inclusion of Nature in Self measure (INS; Schultz, 2001). In comparison to other measures, the INS is very concise and easy to administer. However, because of its single-item nature, its psychometric properties and applicability domains are limited in scope. The present research proposes a four-item development of the INS – the Extended Inclusion of Nature in Self (EINS) scale. In Study 1, we explore the relevance of spatial metaphors in the assessment of self-nature connection. Based on the insights from this study, we develop an extended version of the INS and investigate its dimensionality, reliability, and validity across 5 studies. Our studies converge in suggesting that the proposed EINS is psychometrically stronger than the original INS, compares well in criterion-related validity to extant verbal scales, and has broader research applicability.

Responses of South African land-use planning stakeholders to the New Ecological Paradigm and the Inclusion of Nature in Self scales: Assessment of their potential as components of social assessments for conservation projects

The New Ecological Paradigm (NEP) scale is a commonly used tool to investigate the degree of ecocentricity of participants, i.e. the extent to which they endorse pro-nature views. Here we used the scale as part of the formative research for a conservation project aimed at persuading land use planning stakeholders associated with municipalities to use the conservation priority maps produced by conservation planners. In order to assess its capacity to differentiate between groups of stakeholders according to their degree of ecocentricity, we applied the NEP scale to 53 participants comprising 16 officials responsible for land use planning issues and 37 locally elected councilors (politicians) from South African municipalities. We also applied the Inclusion of Nature in Self (INS) scale – a single-item graphic measure – to the councilors in our sample who all hold anti-conservation views, in order to explore their connectedness to nature. The NEP scale scores were effective in differentiating councilors and officials, and people of Xhosa and other cultural groups, suggesting that the scale has good potential as a component of a social assessment for conservation projects. We found little concordance between the NEP and the INS scales, owing largely to Xhosa participants who mostly scored low for the former, and high for the latter scale. We recommend the use of both scales for social assessments for conservation projects in multi-cultural contexts.