The mediating role of place attachment between nature connectedness and human well-being: perspectives from Japan

Previous studies have demonstrated the role of nature connectedness in promoting human well-being. However, recent studies put emphasis on understanding the underlying mechanism that drives the association between nature connectedness and well-being, mainly mental health. Place attachment is one of the place-based socio-psychological concepts that is believed to explain this association. Analysis of survey data collected from Japanese nationals (N = 2203) revealed place attachment to have a positive and significant mediating effect on the association. Place attachment contributes to 30% of the total effect of nature connectedness on the well-being of the studied population. Furthermore, the study also observed the relationship between nature connectedness and place attachment, and place attachment and human well-being to be direct and significant. Thus, the current research supports the fact that higher levels of well-being associated with nature connectedness are due to the sense of attachment to a place that nature provides.