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Biophobia and Urban Restorativeness

Author

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  • Agnès Patuano

    (Landscape Architecture and Spatial Planning Group, Wageningen University & Research, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands)

Abstract

Natural areas are now known to be important resources for the health and wellbeing of urban dwellers, through, for example, the opportunities they provide for cognitive and emotional restoration. However, urban populations have also been found not to engage with these spaces and to display some form of biophobia which may hinder them from perceiving any of these benefits. This concept of biophobia is thought to entail both our innate physiological responses to the perceived danger from non-human threats such as spiders and snakes and our cultural attachment to material comfort. The word is often used with derogatory connotations, even if it is part of an evolutionary mechanism honed over thousands of years to keep humans alive. This review presents the current state of knowledge on urban biophobia as well as evidence of instances in which built and mixed urban environments were found to be more restorative than natural ones for the urban population, in order to assess any connection within the two. A series of recommendations for further research but also for the practical implementation of natural areas in cities capable of attracting a wide variety of people regardless of their fears or preferences are also formulated. Only by investigating the psychological and physiological responses of urban dwellers to their daily environments can we hope to design interventions which will remain relevant for the modern world.

Suggested Citation

  • Agnès Patuano, 2020. "Biophobia and Urban Restorativeness," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-23, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:10:p:4312-:d:362549
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Glenn-Marie Lange & Quentin Wodon & Kevin Carey, 2018. "The Changing Wealth of Nations 2018," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 29001, December.
    2. Timothy Beatley & Peter Newman, 2013. "Biophilic Cities Are Sustainable, Resilient Cities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 5(8), pages 1-18, August.
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    Cited by:

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    2. Fiona J. Clarke & Yasuhiro Kotera & Kirsten McEwan, 2021. "A Qualitative Study Comparing Mindfulness and Shinrin-Yoku (Forest Bathing): Practitioners’ Perspectives," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-17, June.

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