Skip to content
Apply
Stories

Human exceptionalism hinders environmental action, Northeastern scientists conclude

People in this story

Johanna L’Heureux, who studies marine and environmental science, works on field research at Plum Island Estuary in Rowley, Massachusetts.

What is nature?

When Northeastern University researchers asked a sample of undergraduate students this question last spring, many of their responses included “the outdoors,” “flora and fauna that exist without human interference” or “natural environment.”

“That’s a very typical response,” says John Coley, professor of psychology at Northeastern. “It’s like there’s us—and then nature is all the stuff that’s not us.”

Scientists call this widely spread way of thinking about the human-nature relationship “human exceptionalism”—when people believe that they exist independently of the ecosystems they live in and draw a sharp line between themselves and what is considered nature

However, from the scientific point of view, humans are part of the living organisms within an ecosystem that interact with the nonliving environment, says Brian Helmuth, professor in the Department of Marine and Environmental Sciences and School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs at Northeastern.

Continue reading at NGN Magazine.

More Stories

Leading up to the election, Trump voters trusted friends and family over traditional media, Northeastern research finds

11.07.2024

North Korean troops are reportedly aiding Russia. What kind of effect could they have on the battlefield? 

11.07.2024

Cloned black-footed ferret birth sparks ethical debate. Why that is a big step — but not a substitute — for conservation

11.08.24
All Stories