ABC Connectedness to Nature Scale (ABC-CNS)

Abstract

The ABC Connectedness to Nature Scale (ABC-CNS) (Cuadrado et al., 2023) is an advanced, multidimensional psychometric instrument formulated to evaluate an individual's subjective relationship with the natural world through the classical tripartite model of attitudes. Grounded in environmental psychology and social cognitive theory, the scale captures three core dimensions: Affective Connectedness (the emotional resonance, joy, and tranquility experienced in natural environments), Behavioral Connectedness (habitual pro-environmental actions, immersive physical engagement, and conservation stewardship), and Cognitive Connectedness (the incorporation of nature into personal identity, perceived oneness, and ecological self-concept). Comprising 15 items measured on a 5-point Likert scale, the ABC-CNS addresses structural limitations present in prior unidimensional or bivariate measures that failed to disentangle feelings, beliefs, and overt actions. Psychometric evaluations across diverse university cohorts in Spain and Ecuador confirm high internal consistency, with Cronbach's alpha coefficients ranging from .73 to .96 and Hancock's coefficient H values spanning .80 to .98 across subscales. Exploratory factor analysis demonstrated a robust three-factor solution accounting for 69.75% of the total variance, while multigroup confirmatory factor analysis supported metric and scalar cross-cultural measurement invariance across Latin American and European populations. Convergent validity is evidenced through strong correlations with general environmental concern, ecological preservation, recycling, and sustainable consumption, whereas divergent validity is supported by the absence of significant correlations with peer ecological behaviors. The ABC-CNS stands as an empirically validated instrument for clinical ecopsychology, educational diagnostics, and intervention research.

Keywords

ABC Connectedness to Nature Scale, Nature Connectedness, Affective Connectedness, Behavioral Connectedness, Cognitive Connectedness, Environmental Psychology, Pro-environmental Behavior, Ecological Identity, Cross-Cultural Invariance, Psychometrics

Authors

The ABC-CNS was designed and validated by a multidisciplinary team of researchers specializing in social psychology, environmental education, and ecological sciences:

• Esther Cuadrado, Ph.D. — Department of Psychology, Faculty of Education and Psychology, University of Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain. ORCID: 0000-0002-9903-0052. Email: [email protected]. (Lead Author & Corresponding Researcher).
• Luis Macias-Zambrano — Department of Zoology, University of Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain.
• Antonio J. Carpio, Ph.D. — Department of Zoology, University of Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain. ORCID: 0000-0002-6989-970X.
• Carmen Tabernero, Ph.D. — Department of Social Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain. ORCID: 0000-0003-4338-7367.

Purpose

The primary purpose of the ABC Connectedness to Nature Scale is to offer an integrative, structurally sound, and psychometrically validated instrument that captures the human-nature relationship across its complete psychological architecture. While previous scholarship recognized that human subjective connection to nature is vital for psychological well-being and ecological sustainability, the field had historically relied on instruments that treated connectedness as either purely cognitive, predominantly emotional, or conflated across ill-defined domains.

Historically, measures such as the Connectedness to Nature Scale (Mayer & Frantz, 2004) were constructed to quantify an individual's experiential sense of affective oneness with the natural world, yet several psychometricians noted that its items frequently loaded on cognitive self-categorization or abstract ecological beliefs. Conversely, the Inclusion of Nature in Self scale (Schultz, 2002) captured visual-spatial cognitive inclusion but omitted behavioral tendencies and nuanced affective responses. Scales such as the Nature Relatedness Scale (Nisbet et al., 2009) combined physical, emotional, and cognitive elements, but lacked an explicit grounding in classic sociopsychological attitude theories, sometimes obscuring the specific contribution of individual dimensions to target outcomes.

The ABC-CNS was specifically engineered to overcome these theoretical and methodological ambiguities by systematically anchoring the construct of nature connectedness within the classical tripartite model of attitudes (Rosenberg & Hovland, 1960; Eagly & Chaiken, 1993). Under this framework, subjective connectedness is operationalized through three distinct, measurable pathways: (1) how an individual emotionally experiences nature, (2) how an individual enacts their relationship with nature through direct physical behavior and care, and (3) how an individual cognitively perceives their identity and systemic belonging within the broader biosphere.

In applied contexts, the ABC-CNS serves both clinical and environmental research agendas. Within ecopsychology and green care interventions, the instrument enables mental health practitioners to monitor changes in affective well-being, mindfulness, and sensory engagement following nature-assisted therapies, wilderness immersion programs, or forest bathing (Shinrin-yoku). In academic and public policy domains, the scale equips environmental scientists, educators, and urban planners with a refined diagnostic index to determine how specific educational interventions or green urban designs foster long-term conservation behavior, ecological lifestyle changes, and sustainable consumer choices.

Psychological Construct

The psychological construct evaluated by the ABC-CNS is Connectedness to Nature, conceptualized not as a monolithic trait, but as a complex psychological posture consisting of three correlated yet distinct sub-constructs:

1. Affective Connectedness

Affective connectedness refers to the emotional, visceral, and hedonic bond an individual establishes with natural environments. Rooted in the biophilic emotional attachment described in ecological theories, this dimension reflects positive emotional valences elicited by direct or imagined contact with the natural world. It encompasses feelings of profound joy, love, emotional resonance, inner peace, and tranquility. An individual with high affective connectedness views nature as a source of emotional renewal, psychological safety, and comfort. For instance, item 9 captures this sense of restorative emotional shelter (feeling "happy and at home" in wild spaces), while item 10 addresses the stress-reducing, restorative emotional equilibrium (peace and tranquility) induced by contact with natural entities.

2. Cognitive Connectedness

Cognitive connectedness reflects the structural integration of the natural world into an individual's self-concept, beliefs, and worldview. This dimension reflects an ontological and epistemic realization that human beings are fundamentally interdependent with biotic systems rather than separate, superior entities. It incorporates ecological self-identification, spiritual communion, and perceived community membership. Conceptually linked to deep ecological philosophy and self-categorization principles, this subscale captures beliefs regarding oneness and collective destiny. For example, item 1 evaluates the explicit ontological stance that one is "an integral part of nature," while item 5 probes the psychological categorization of the non-human environment as an overarching "community to which I belong."

3. Behavioral Connectedness

Behavioral connectedness describes an individual's active, somatic, and behavioral transactions with the natural environment. While prior scales predominantly treated connectedness as internal psychological states (thoughts and feelings), Cuadrado et al. (2023) argued that human-nature relationships are fundamentally enacted through bodily engagement, behavioral habits, and deliberate physical stewardship. This subscale includes the frequency of visiting natural areas, sensory immersion (actively listening to and watching nature), merging somatic experiences with natural surroundings, and proactive protective behaviors toward flora and fauna. For instance, item 13 captures active stewardship enacted from personal identification ("I take care of nature as if it were a part of myself"), and item 15 measures egalitarian physical care directed toward animals.

Theoretical Framework

The construction of the ABC-CNS draws upon several converging theoretical paradigms across social psychology, cognitive science, and human ecology:

The Tripartite (ABC) Model of Attitudes

The core conceptual foundation of the ABC-CNS is the Multicomponent Model of Attitudes, historically established by Rosenberg and Hovland (1960) and later systematized by Alice Eagly and Shelly Chaiken (1993). In classical social cognition, attitudes are defined as psychological tendencies expressed by evaluating a particular entity with some degree of favor or disfavor, organized along three structural components:

• Affect: Evaluative feelings, moods, sympathetic nervous responses, and emotional valences linked to the attitude object.
• Behavior: Overt actions, verbal commitments, motor responses, and behavioral intentions directed toward or involving the object.
• Cognition: Beliefs, factual knowledge, thoughts, mental representations, and structural perceptions concerning the object.

Applying this model to environmental psychology, the ABC-CNS posits that a person's holistic connection to nature cannot be fully captured without simultaneously examining what they feel (Affect), what they do (Behavior), and what they think (Cognition). Discrepancies between these three channels are well documented in environmental literature (e.g., individuals possessing intellectual pro-environmental knowledge yet lacking emotional resonance or physical lifestyle execution). The ABC-CNS formalizes these three pillars into an aligned psychometric system.

The Biophilia Hypothesis

Edward O. Wilson's Biophilia Hypothesis (1984) asserts that humans possess an innate, genetically evolved affinity for other living organisms and natural systems. This evolutionary perspective posits that positive emotional responses (affective component) and sensory engagement (behavioral component) toward natural stimuli were critical for ancestral survival, facilitating restorative recovery, habitat selection, and resource awareness. The ABC-CNS operationalizes biophilia as an active psychological relationship that manifests across modern cognitive structures, emotional regulation mechanisms, and behavioral routines.

Ecological Self and Deep Ecology

The scale incorporates the concept of the "ecological self," articulated by Norwegian philosopher Arne Næss (1973) and integrated into modern psychology by Susan Clayton (2003). Deep ecology maintains that mature human development involves expanding one's boundary of identification from the narrow egoistic self to include the entire biotic community. Under this view, caring for nature is not perceived as an altruistic sacrifice, but as an act of self-care. Items reflecting cognitive oneness and self-expansion directly mirror this theoretical tradition.

Validity

The validation protocol for the ABC Connectedness to Nature Scale involved multi-stage structural, convergent, discriminant, and criterion-related analyses across diverse cohorts (Cuadrado et al., 2023):

Construct and Factorial Validity

Construct validity was established through sequential exploratory and confirmatory factor modeling. The initial item pool was refined by verifying factor loadings, communalities, and internal cross-loadings. The hypothesized three-dimensional structure was empirically confirmed: all items exhibited substantial loadings (> .55) onto their designated factors (Affective, Behavioral, Cognitive), establishing that the tripartite theoretical architecture accurately captures empirical response variations.

Convergent Validity

Convergent validity was documented through bivariate correlations with established psychological scales in environmental research. The total ABC-CNS score and its three individual subscales demonstrated statistically significant, positive relationships with:

• Appreciation of Nature: Strong correlations were found with instruments measuring sensory and aesthetic nature appreciation, confirming that individuals with high scores exhibit pronounced sensitivity to natural beauty.
• Environmental Attitudes and Preservation: Substantial positive correlations emerged with scales measuring preservationist values and general pro-environmental attitudes.
• Self-Reported Pro-Environmental Behavior: Significant associations were established between the ABC-CNS factors and overt everyday sustainable practices, including residential recycling patterns, green consumer choices, and active energy conservation.

Discriminant and Divergent Validity

To substantiate divergent validity, the researchers investigated whether the ABC-CNS was artificially inflated by generic social desirability or irrelevant environmental reference variables. In line with psychometric predictions, the ABC-CNS dimensions showed no statistically significant correlation with participants' perceptions of their classmates' or peers' ecological habits. Furthermore, average variance extracted (AVE) values exceeded the squared inter-construct correlations, confirming that although the Affective, Behavioral, and Cognitive factors share systemic variance, they remain distinct latent entities.

Criterion and External Validity

Criterion validity was corroborated by assessing differences across behavioral engagement levels. Participants actively affiliated with environmental non-governmental organizations or enrolled in nature-focused curricula scored significantly higher across all three ABC-CNS dimensions than participants with non-environmental academic backgrounds, demonstrating the scale's sensitivity in differentiating groups with known variations in ecological involvement.

Reliability

The ABC-CNS has demonstrated robust internal consistency across independent samples and cultural contexts. In the psychometric development study (Cuadrado et al., 2023), reliability was evaluated using both traditional parametric indices and structural reliability coefficients:

Cronbach's Alpha (α)

Internal consistency estimates for the overall 15-item inventory and its three individual subscales revealed high reliability coefficients across cohorts:

• Affective Dimension (5 items): α coefficients ranged from .89 to .96, reflecting high homogeneity in assessing emotional valence and restorative comfort.
• Cognitive Dimension (5 items): α coefficients ranged from .84 to .90, indicating strong measurement precision in ecological self-concept and cognitive oneness.
• Behavioral Dimension (5 items): α coefficients ranged from .73 to .83, demonstrating acceptable to good consistency given the inherently varied nature of behavioral engagement and care patterns.
• Global ABC-CNS Scale (15 items): Total scale internal consistency exceeded .92 across all testing waves.

Hancock's Coefficient H (Construct Reliability)

Because Cronbach's alpha can be biased by deviations from tau-equivalence, the authors calculated Hancock's coefficient H, an index of construct reliability that evaluates the degree to which a set of indicators represents the latent construct without assuming equal item loadings:

• Affective Factor: H ranged between .91 and .98.
• Cognitive Factor: H ranged between .86 and .93.
• Behavioral Factor: H ranged between .80 and .87.

These values fall well above the recommended psychometric threshold of .70, demonstrating that the latent constructs are well-defined by their operational indicators and suitable for structural equation modeling.

Factor Analysis

The internal dimensionality of the ABC-CNS was evaluated through complementary exploratory and confirmatory factor analytical procedures:

Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA)

During the initial phase of scale development, an EFA was conducted on the candidate item pool. The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) measure of sampling adequacy verified the suitability of the correlation matrices (> .88), and Bartlett's test of sphericity achieved statistical significance (p < .001). Factor extraction utilizing principal axis factoring with oblique rotation (Promax, to account for expected inter-factor correlations) produced an unambiguous three-factor solution based on Kaiser's criterion (eigenvalues > 1) and parallel analysis.

The three extracted factors collectively accounted for 69.75% of the total cumulative variance. All 15 selected items demonstrated primary factor loadings ranging from .58 to .92 on their designated latent factors, with negligible cross-loadings (< .25 on secondary dimensions), confirming theoretical alignment.

Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) & Measurement Invariance

The three-dimensional architecture established by EFA was subsequently verified via Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) using maximum likelihood estimation with robust standard errors (MLR). Model fit was appraised against contemporary psychometric benchmarks (Root Mean Square Error of Approximation [RMSEA] ≤ .06, Comparative Fit Index [CFI] ≥ .95, Tucker-Lewis Index [TLI] ≥ .95, Standardized Root Mean Square Residual [SRMR] ≤ .08).

The tridimensional model demonstrated superior fit compared to both unidimensional models (combining all 15 items onto a single general factor) and two-dimensional models (collapsing affect and cognition into a single component). In the baseline sample from Spain, fit indices were very good: χ²/df ratio < 2.5, CFI = .952, TLI = .941, SRMR = .051, RMSEA = .058 (90% CI [.049, .068]). In the validation sample from Ecuador, the model exhibited excellent fit: χ²/df ratio < 2.1, CFI = .967, TLI = .959, SRMR = .044, RMSEA = .052 (90% CI [.042, .063]).

Cross-Cultural Invariance

To determine whether the ABC-CNS operates equivalently across different sociolinguistic and geographic settings, multigroup CFA was performed comparing the European (Spanish) and South American (Ecuadorian) cohorts. Sequential tests established:

• Configural Invariance: The basic three-factor pattern was invariant across groups, demonstrating that respondents in both cultures conceptualize nature connectedness through affective, behavioral, and cognitive lenses.
• Metric (Weak) Invariance: Constraining factor loadings to equivalence yielded non-significant changes in model fit (ΔCFI < .010, ΔRMSEA < .015), indicating that scale items assess the latent constructs with equivalent metric sensitivity across both populations.
• Scalar (Strong) Invariance: Constraining item intercepts across groups supported scalar invariance, confirming that latent mean comparisons across cross-cultural demographics are statistically valid and uncompromised by measurement bias.

Instrument / Measurement Tool

• Test Name: ABC Connectedness to Nature Scale (ABC-CNS)
• Authors: Esther Cuadrado, Luis Macias-Zambrano, Antonio J. Carpio, and Carmen Tabernero (2023)
• Test Type: Self-report psychological inventory / multidimensional questionnaire
• Target Population: Adults (18 years and older), including young adults, university cohorts, and community populations
• Construct Assessed: Connectedness to nature across Affective, Behavioral, and Cognitive dimensions
• Administration Format: Paper-and-pencil or online digital survey
• Estimated Administration Time: 4 to 6 minutes
• Number of Items: 15 items
• Subscales:
  • Cognitive Dimension: Items 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 (perceived oneness, ecological identity, community belonging)
  • Affective Dimension: Items 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 (joy, love, emotional bonding, restorative peace)
  • Behavioral Dimension: Items 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 (countryside visits, sensory immersion, nature care, animal welfare)
• Authentic Response Scale: Items are rated using a 5-point Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree to 5 = strongly agree).
• Scoring Protocol:
  • All 15 items are positively phrased; no reverse scoring is required.
  • Subscale scores are obtained by calculating the arithmetic mean of items belonging to each factor (sum of subscale items divided by 5). Subscale scores range from 1.0 to 5.0.
  • A global connectedness score can be derived by computing the mean of all 15 items (total sum divided by 15).
  • Higher scores denote greater emotional resonance, cognitive integration, and active behavioral engagement with nature.

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The ABC Connectedness to Nature Scale was officially published in 2023 in Environmental Education Research. The tool is available for scientific, pedagogical, and non-commercial research purposes under standard academic attribution guidelines. Commercial utilization, automated digital platform embedding, or redistribution requires prior written permission from the corresponding author (Dr. Esther Cuadrado, University of Córdoba) and the publisher (Taylor & Francis). No testing fees are required for independent academic or clinical research.

References

• Clayton, S. (2003). Environmental identity: A conceptual and an operational definition. In S. Clayton & S. Opotow (Eds.), Identity and the natural environment: The psychological significance of nature (pp. 45–65). MIT Press. https://doi.org/10.7551/mitpress/3644.003.0005
• Cuadrado, E., Macias-Zambrano, L., Carpio, A. J., & Tabernero, C. (2023). The ABC Connectedness to Nature Scale: Development and validation of a scale with an approach to affective, behavioural, and cognitive aspects. Environmental Education Research, 29(2), 308–329. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2022.2111407
• Eagly, A. H., & Chaiken, S. (1993). The psychology of attitudes. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich College Publishers.
• Mayer, F. S., & Frantz, C. M. (2004). The connectedness to nature scale: A measure of individuals’ feeling in community with nature. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 24(4), 503–515. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2004.10.001
• Nisbet, E. K., Zelenski, J. M., & Murphy, S. A. (2009). The Nature Relatedness Scale: Linking individuals’ connection with nature to environmental concern and behavior. Environment and Behavior, 41(5), 715–740. https://doi.org/10.1177/0013916508318748
• Perkins, H. E. (2010). Measuring love and care for nature. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 30(4), 455–463. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2010.05.004
• Rosenberg, M. J., & Hovland, C. I. (1960). Cognitive, affective, and behavioral components of attitudes. In M. J. Rosenberg, C. I. Hovland, W. J. McGuire, R. P. Abelson, & J. W. Brehm (Eds.), Attitude organization and change: An analysis of consistency among attitude components (pp. 1–14). Yale University Press.
• Schultz, P. W. (2002). Inclusion with nature: The basis of environmental concern. In P. W. Schmuck & W. P. Schultz (Eds.), Psychology of sustainable development (pp. 61–78). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-0995-0_4
• Wilson, E. O. (1984). Biophilia. Harvard University Press.

Items of the Scale