The Impact of Ecology on Human Behavior, the Role of Behavior in Ecology
Keywords:
Air quality, Temperature variability, Green space, Health-related behavior, Physical activity, Mental health, Environmental factors, Public health, Urban planning, Policy implications
Abstract
This study explores the influence of environmental factors—air quality, temperature variability, and green space availability—on health-related behaviors. Previous research has indicated that environmental conditions affect physical activity levels, but there is limited understanding of how these specific factors interact. To address this gap, the research aims to assess their combined effects on outdoor physical activities and overall well-being. Using a multiple linear regression model, the analysis shows that poor air quality and extreme temperature fluctuations reduce outdoor activity, while access to green spaces enhances both physical and mental health. These findings underscore the need for urban planning and public health policies that integrate environmental improvements to promote healthier, more active lifestyles.
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[4] T. Hartig, R. Mitchell, S. de Vries, and H. Frumkin, "Nature and Health," Annual Review of Public Health, vol. 41, pp. 379–397, 2020. [Online]. Available: https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-publhealth-040218-043706
[5] P. James, R. F. Banay, J. E. Hart, and F. Laden, "A Review of the Health Benefits of Greenness," Current Epidemiology Reports, vol. 9, no. 1, pp. 87–95, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40471-022-00292-2
[6] X. Li, S. Zheng, and Y. Wang, "The Effects of Temperature Variability on Outdoor Physical Activity: Evidence from China," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, vol. 108, p. 102479, 2021. [Online]. Available: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeem.2021.102479
[7] NASA, "Global Temperature Trends," NASA, 2020. [Online]. Available: https://climate.nasa.gov/
[8] National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, "Temperature Extremes," NOAA, 2020. [Online]. Available: https://www.noaa.gov/
[9] D. Nettle, "Flexibility in Reproductive Timing in Humans: Integrating Ultimate and Proximate Explanations," Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London, Series B, vol. 366, pp. 357–365, 2011.
[10] D. Nettle, K. Panchanathan, T. S. Rai, and A. P. Fiske, "The Evolution of Giving, Sharing and Lotteries," Current Anthropology, vol. 52, pp. 747–756, 2011.
[11] Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, "Well-being Data," OECD, 2021. [Online]. Available: https://www.oecd.org/statistics/well-being/
[12] T. V. Pollet and D. Nettle, "Driving a Hard Bargain: Sex Ratio and Male Marriage Success in a Historical U.S. Population," Biology Letters, vol. 4, pp. 31–33, 2008.
[13] L. Rende Taylor, "Dangerous Trade-offs: The Behavioral Ecology of Child Labor and Prostitution in Rural Northern Thailand," Current Anthropology, vol. 46, pp. 411–431, 2005.
[14] E. Richardson, J. Pearce, R. Mitchell, and S. Kingham, "The Role of Green Spaces in Improving Health Equity: Evidence from New Zealand," Social Science & Medicine, vol. 291, p. 114500, 2021. [Online]. Available: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2021.114500
[15] P. J. Richerson, R. Boyd, and R. L. Bettinger, "Was Agriculture Impossible during the Pleistocene but Mandatory during the Holocene? A Climate Change Hypothesis," American Antiquity, vol. 66, pp. 387–411, 2001.
[16] R. Sear and R. Mace, "Who Keeps Children Alive? A Review of the Effects of Kin on Child Survival," Evolution and Human Behavior, vol. 29, no. 1, pp. 1–18, 2008.
[17] E. A. Smith, "Endless Forms: Human Behavioral Diversity and Evolved Universals," Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London, Series B, vol. 366, pp. 325–332, 2011.
[18] C. W. Thompson, P. Aspinall, J. Roe, S. Robertson, and D. Miller, "Green Space Interventions for Health: A Systematic Review of Effects on Physical Activity, Health and Well-being," Public Health Research, vol. 9, no. 4, pp. 1–212, 2021. [Online]. Available: https://doi.org/10.3310/phr09040
[19] B. Tucker, "Applying Behavioral Ecology and Behavioral Economics to Conservation and Development Planning," Current Anthropology, vol. 48, pp. 591–621, 2007.
[20] United Nations Environment Programme, "The State of Green Spaces," UNEP, 2019. [Online]. Available: https://www.unep.org/resources
[21] World Bank, "Environmental Indicators," World Bank, 2020. [Online]. Available: https://data.worldbank.org/
[22] World Health Organization, "Global Health Observatory Data," WHO, 2020. [Online]. Available: https://www.who.int/data/gho
[23] World Health Organization, "Air Pollution," WHO, 2021. [Online]. Available: https://www.who.int/news-room/air-pollution
[24] World Health Organization, "Air Quality Guidelines: Global Update 2021," WHO, 2021. [Online]. Available: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240034228
[25] Y. Zhang, Y. Guo, and J. Fan, "Air Pollution and Outdoor Physical Activity: Evidence from a Natural Experiment in China," Environmental Science & Technology, vol. 54, no. 20, pp. 12955–12964, 2020. [Online]. Available: https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.0c04067
Published
2024-10-24
How to Cite
Muslima, A., & Munavvar, A. (2024). The Impact of Ecology on Human Behavior, the Role of Behavior in Ecology. Central Asian Journal of Innovations on Tourism Management and Finance, 5(6), 375-382. https://doi.org/10.51699/cajitmf.v5i6.760
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