Why the Physical Environment Matters: Sustainability’s Role in Child Development

Dear Colleagues,

Environmental psychology and developmental science both provide theoretical frameworks to examine the ways in which the physical environment impacts child development. Place identity theory (Proshansky and Fabian, 1987) describes the importance of the physical environment in shaping children’s self-identity. The bio-ecological model (Bronfenbrenner, 1979; Bronfenbrenner and Morris, 1998) is especially helpful in describing, and investigating, the multiple influences, including the physical environment, on child development. According to this model, developmental outcomes are the product of 1) the individual’s biological make up; 2) daily activities and interactions (proximal processes) of the individual; 3) the social and physical context of these interactions; and 4) time, the generational contexts.

The bio-ecological model identifies multiple layers of society that contribute to development (micro system, mesosystem, exosystem, macrosystem, and chronosystem). The micro system is the immediate environment of the child, home, childcare/school, and neighborhood. The mesosystem is a combination of two or more microsystems. These are the places where children spend most of their time. The exosystem includes government, workplaces, industry, and transportation systems and thus has an indirect effect on child development. The macrosystem includes the larger societal issues of culture and income status. The chronosystem is the generational context in which the child lives.

Children (and their families) are potentially impacted by climate change on many levels. Therefore, rigorous investigations, as well as action, on this topic are necessary. The design of the micro- and mesosystems, i.e., homes, neighborhoods, and daycare/schools, based on sustainable standards could have immediate effects on children. While there has been some research on green schools and green curriculums (Tucker and Izadpanahi, 2017; Cole, 2015), the emphasis has been on the best way to teach children about climate and sustainability issues. Additional research is needed in this area as well as on the ways in which green schools are related to other aspects of development. Policies, laws, and regulations enacted at the exosystem level related to the climate and sustainability are critical in terms of immediate and long-term effects on child development. Macrosystem attributes, cultural values, and income status are also areas ripe for additional examination as contributions to the ways in which climate and sustainability issues will differentially affect children’s development.

Children’s understanding of themselves is purported to be understood in relation to their environment (Proshanky and Fabian, 1987). Therefore, an understanding of how climate change and sustainability is related to children’s self-identity is needed. The development of attitudes and behavior, especially among children and young people, related to the environment in general, climate change in particular, and sustainability are also needed areas of investigation.

The focus of this Special Issue is the presentation of rigorous empirical and case study investigations of the ways in which climate change, sustainability, and child development are related. Both quantitative and qualitative research is welcome, including that which explores the relationship between sustainability issues and child development on multiple levels and from multiple perspectives. We expect that this Special Issue will contribute to, and extend, the existing body of literature on the role of the physical environment in child development. Much of the current work on sustainability and children examines environmental attitudes and behavior. Research on this topic is welcome as well as other ways that child development is impacted by sustainability. We especially encourage research that examines the relation of climate change and sustainability to child development in both the global south and north.

Dr. Lorraine E. Maxwell
Guest Editor

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