Some researchers (Zelenski & Nisbet, 2014) focusing on environmental psychology have recently pointed out that a person may benefit from his/her contact with nature although that contact is limited. For instance, direct experience in nature appears to enhance pleasant moods (Nisbet & Zelenski, 2011). Furthermore, having contact with nature may contribute pursuing a healthy life while decreasing mortality risk related to income inequalities (Van der Berg, 2005). Recent evidences shown by Zelenski and Nisbet (2014) revealed that nature relatedness was a significant distinct predictor of many happiness indicators even after controlling personal connections to other factors including country, home, friends, family, music, and culture. These researchers added that nature relatedness could be regarded as a key factor to achieve happiness and environmental sustainability, but further research should be conducted to confirm the causation between these factors.

Dealing with the usefulness of direct experience in nature, nature relatedness previously seen as the personality construct of subjective connection with nature (Zelenski & Nisbet, 2014) has been examined in terms of its potential in explaining pro-environmental behaviors. From another perspective, Nisbet, Zelenski and Murphy (2009, p.716) suggest that “nature relatedness captures many of these individual differences and, thus, differences in ERB”. These researchers emphasized that nature relatedness reflects individual differences in cognitive and affective, as well as physical connections with the natural environment. Using various measuring tools, it was pointed out that nature relatedness has significant predictive power for environmental concern and sustainable behavior (e.g. Markowitz, Goldberg, Ashton, & Lee, 2012; Nisbet, Zelenski, & Murphy, 2009; Schultz, 2002). It was stated that individuals who feel connected to nature hold a desire to protect it (Zelenski & Nisbet, 2014).

As stated by several researchers (Laird, McFarland-Piazza & Allen, 2014), early childhood was depicted to be a critical time to develop a child’s connectedness to nature because a child is naturally curious in this period. According to Wells and Lekies (2006), people who had direct experiences in nature more during their childhood are more likely to have pro-environmental attitudes, which may further influence their pro-environmental behaviors. Bruni and Schultz (2010) added that children were highly connected with nature, just as high as environmental activists. College students, however, showed less connection with nature, which Bruni and Schultz (2010) showed that as a loss of connection to nature in some children from childhood to adulthood.

Fascinating children’s interests in nature during early childhood can yield favorable dispositions toward nature that may last into adulthood. Research results (Chawla & Cushing, 2007) indicate that engagement in nature activities during childhood as well as parents, teachers and other individuals potentially acting as role models who demonstrate an interest in nature are significant factors that motivate people to become concerned about and active in nature in the future. Supporting evidence was also shown by Chawla’s previous research study (1999) which suggests that adults attribute their environmental concerns and attitudes to various factors including spending time in natural areas during childhood, as well as parents or teachers showing role-modelled actions in the environment. Based on these evidences, the present study aimed to examine pre-service teachers’ nature relatedness, investigating nature-relatedness for these individuals in terms of its power in explaining pro-environmental behaviors. These pre-service teachers have a potential act as a role model for children with their personal connection with nature. 

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