Abstract

Background. The multifaceted nature of contemporary environmental threats directly impacts social stability and global development, driving increased research into pro-environmental behavior capable of countering these threats. Empirical investigation into the mutual influence of "top-down" (personality traits) and "bottom-up" (modes of interaction with the environment) factors on the formation of people's conceptions of nature—which underlie specific environmental attitudes and actions—is particularly relevant. This study contributes to the field of environmental psychology by offering a comprehensive analysis of the factors that shape pro-environmental behavior.

Objective. To identify factors shaping perceptions of the natural environment by integrating "bottom-up" (environmental) and "top-down" (personality) approaches to understanding the human-nature interaction.

Study Participants. The study involved 100 students from Moscow universities (mean age 19.2 years, SD = 2.81; 32% men, 68% women).

Methods. To assess "bottom-up" factors stemming from the type of subject-environment interaction, a methodology based on V.I. Panov's ecopsychological approach was developed. "Top-down" factors were assessed using the Big Five Personality Profile Questionnaire B5-10 (M.S. Egorova and O.V. Parshikova). A psychosemantic method was employed to investigate perceptions of the natural environment. Statistical data processing was performed using IBM SPSS Statistics 22.0 and Jamovi software and included correlation, factor, and regression analyses.

Results. Based on assessments of interactions with nature, a three-factor structure of perceptions was identified: "ecoidentity" (connection with nature), "resourcefulness" (perception of nature as a source of resources), and "eco-concern" (concern for the state of the environment). It was found that: the highest level of "ecoidentity" is associated with the subject-isolated type of interaction; the highest "resourcefulness" is attributed to the subject-generating type of interaction; the lowest "eco-concern" is characteristic of the subject-joint type of interaction. Data were also obtained regarding the contribution of personality traits to the variability of people's conceptions of nature.

Conclusions. The study demonstrates that perceptions of nature are shaped by the combined influence of the type of direct interaction with the environment (the "bottom-up" factor) and stable personality traits (the "top-down" factor). The specific type of interaction (isolated, generative, joint) is associated with the actualization of different aspects of perceptions. Moreover, personality traits, primarily agreeableness and conscientiousness, significantly predict the propensity for ecoidentity, whereas ecoconcern is more strongly associated with neuroticism, particularly among women.