The Biophobiaunderstood as aversion, fear or disgust towards nature, is increasing in today’s societies, according to a study by Swedish researchers.
Current studies, such as the systematic review of Johan Kjellberg Jensen des Lund Universitypoints out that this phenomenon applies to both public health What the efforts of Environmental protection.
Contrary to the traditional belief that people have a feeling innate affinity for natureNew studies show that a growing number of people, particularly in urban contexts and among Childrenexperience feelings of fear, discomfort or even disgust when in contact with animals, plants and natural spaces.
According to Jensen “ urbanization Combined with parental attitudes, negative feelings and perceptions of dangers in nature can increase in children,” a trend that increases as more children grow up in cities away from green environments.
The study, published in Frontiers in Ecology and the Environmet, conducted a systematic review of nearly 200 scientific articles from various research areas: findings from global scientific works, including studies from Sweden, Japan and the United States, were compiled to provide a complete overview of biophobia.
The causes of the Biophobia They are diverse and include external and internal factors. According to the review published by the Lund UniversityThe most important external triggers include increasing urbanization and the lack of direct contact with nature, which often increase the perception of danger.
On the other hand, internal aspects such as health status and individual emotional characteristics also contribute to the occurrence of these negative emotions. Aside from that, Lack of knowledge about nature and limited contact with it can reinforce each other and create a vicious circle. of avoidance and ignorance.
The consequences of the Biophobia They go beyond the individual level. Those who avoid contact with nature lose the widely documented benefits it offers, such as: Stress relief and improving children’s academic performance.
In addition, biophobia can promote Attitudes and behaviors that are contrary to environmental protection and sustainability, including aversion to species that are actually harmless or even beneficial to the human environment.
Jensen emphasized that “contact with nature has well-documented health benefits, such as reducing stress and improving children’s academic performance,” and warns that losing these benefits can have a negative impact on society as a whole.
Given this situation, researchers are proposing various strategies to reverse the trend: from encouraging positive experiences with nature from a young age to the need to develop oneself further Green spaces and strengthen them biodiversity in the cities. These measures, says Jensen, can offer children the opportunity to develop a healthy relationship with the natural environment and counteract the spiral of avoidance and ignorance. Furthermore, the Environmental education and promoting greater ecological knowledge are presented as key tools for long-term reduction of biophobia.
Finally, experts call on the scientific community and public policy makers to deepen research into biophobia. The research team emphasized the need for interdisciplinary approaches, taking into account cultural and regional differences and conducting longitudinal studies to better understand the evolution of the relationship between humans and nature.
Only in this way, the researchers emphasized, will it be possible to develop effective strategies that address both the causes and consequences of this emerging phenomenon.
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