Abstract :
[en] Human society has always been impacted by some sort of crisis from its very beginning
onwards. This includes pandemics such as the COVID-19 crisis that we are currently facing.
While pandemics have always existed, their number keeps increasing, and the explanation for
this phenomenon partly lies in the environmental crisis we are currently experiencing. In this
study, we highlight the potential of urban green spaces in the management of such societal
crises. A lot of research shows the impact of nature exposure on pro-social attitudes and
interpersonal relationships. An individual's social life is an essential factor when it comes to his
resilience skills, especially in times of crisis. Feelings of awe and perceptions of beauty are two
qualities of the natural environment that research documents to partially account for the effects
of nature on human social behavior. However, we know that most people do not have access to
“awe-inspiring” green spaces on a daily basis. Having access to the local urban park is often
the only green space within walking distance for most individuals, especially in low-income
districts. A survey was launched in April 2020 to better understand the characteristics of “daily
urban green spaces” that can influence pro-social behaviour during a pandemic. This study
examines the impact of green spaces attendance on social orientation according to the perceived
beauty of these spaces and, considering the pandemic context, according to his attendance rate
(if the place is sparsely or densely crowded). Indeed, it is legitimate to wonder if attending green
spaces confers the same social benefits during a pandemic, when people are worried meeting
and interacting with strangers given the increase infection risk this represents. We therefore
suppose that there is a positive link between green areas and social orientation, but that this link
only exists for places that are perceived as pleasant and little frequented. 1206 participants (972
female and 234 male, aged between 17 and 77 years, M = 28.74, SD = 12.87) were recruited
through an online survey on social media. The survey started with a social orientation measure
(the orientation slider measure - SVO; Murphy, Ackermann, & Handgraaf, 2011), asking
participants to allocate points to themselves and to a hypothetical other. The real purpose of this
measure was hidden from participants. Participants than answered measures to determine their
perception of the most regularly visited green space during the lockdown. Different co-variates
were also included. The results from this survey show that the more the use of green spaces
increase, the more social orientation is also enhanced, but only in low crowded spaces (b =
0.059, t = 2.006, SE = 0.029, p = 0.045). Perceived beauty has no impact on the link between
frequentation and social orientation. These results show the importance of multiplying green
spaces in our cities in order to decongest the existing green areas, but also of thinking about
their design and their location in the urban space, in order to reduce the feeling of overcrowding.
This seems all the more important within underprivileged neighborhoods, which gather more
vulnerable populations to the consequences of health, economic and social crises.
