Date of Award

Spring 2026

Thesis Type

Open Access

Degree Name

Honors Bachelor of Arts

Department

Psychology

Sponsor

Paul Harris

Committee Member

Andrew Luchner

Committee Member

Victoria Machado

Abstract

Outdoor recreation has been associated with increased well-being in past literature (et al., 2018). This study focuses on well-being from a positive psychology perspective (i.e., flourishing, fulfillment, life satisfaction, etc.). Spending time in nature may increase well-being, due to its sensory properties which reduce stress and rumination (Kaplan, 1995). Physical activity may also be important for well-being due to its health benefits, neurotransmitter release, opportunities for socialization, and increasing self-confidence (Parlakyıldız, 2025). I investigated whether there was correlation between outdoor recreation and well-being and if so, whether it differed depending on the location of the activity and the physical activity level. I expected to find a positive relationship between wilderness activities and well-being and high levels of physical activity and well-being, with a stronger effect for wilderness. Participants (N = 106) were recruited using snowball sampling and completed a questionnaire measuring well-being, nature relatedness, and recreation preferences. Additionally, they answered qualitative questions about what activities they do in their free time which were coded for activity type, location, energy level, and reasons for choosing that activity. None of my hypotheses had significant support which I attributed to issues with sampling and measures. This continues to be an important area of research because of how humans are becoming increasingly disconnected from nature.

Rights Holder

Sophia Watson

Download

Share

COinS