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Date of Graduation
Spring 2014
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Educational Specialist (EdS)
Department
Department of Graduate Psychology
Advisor(s)
Debbie C. Sturm
Abstract
Social science research suggests that the current generation of college students is quite different from previous cohorts of undergraduates. In particular, researchers have discovered that college students, known as “Millennials,” demonstrate lower levels of empathy, higher levels of narcissism, increased use of technology, and decreased time spent outdoors. As counselors working with Millennials, large scale dispositional changes may impact the overall functioning of these individuals. This quantitative study of 140 undergraduates explores the relationship between the constructs of empathy, narcissism, and nature-relatedness among the Millennial generation. Data analysis suggests that there is a statistically significant relationship between nature relatedness and empathy. This study offers an empirical rationale for utilizing community-based and nature-oriented approaches when working with Millennials.
Recommended Citation
Metz, Anne Loyer, "Back to nature: The impact of nature relatedness on empathy and narcissism in the millennial generation" (2014). Educational Specialist, 2009-2019. 65.
https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/edspec201019/65
