The Influence of Physical Surroundings on Development and Well-being
The category of Environmental Psychology investigates the intricate and reciprocal relationship between individuals and their physical and social surroundings. It explores how the characteristics of built and natural environments profoundly influence human behavior, well-being, cognition, and development across the lifespan. Moving beyond internal psychological processes, this field emphasizes the dynamic interplay between the person and their context, examining how environmental demands, affordances, and psychosocial qualities shape adaptive strategies, foster or impede growth, and impact overall quality of life. This perspective highlights that development is not solely an internal journey but is continuously co-constructed by the spaces and places we inhabit.
This category is significantly shaped by M. Powell Lawton’s foundational Environmental Press Model and his concept of Person-Environment (P-E) Fit, which demonstrate how optimal well-being and adaptation occur when there is a balance between an individual’s competence and the demands of their environment, particularly relevant in aging. Rudolf Moos further enriches this understanding with his Social Climate Theory, which measures the psychosocial “personality” of various human environments (like workplaces or homes) and illustrates how these perceived qualities profoundly influence individuals’ behavior, personal growth, and well-being. Together, these theorists provide crucial frameworks for understanding how the complex properties of our physical and social environments are integral to the ongoing process of adult development.
