'Weird Psychology' and the Benefits of Nature

Many studies suggest spending time 'with' nature is good for people's mental health. Happiness is increased and symptoms of depression and anxiety fade. This interpretation, although valid for the populations it has dealt with, is based on 'weird psychology'. This term was devised to reflect the truism that many psychological studies are based on surveys with US university students (they are easy and cheap to recruit). 'Weird' is an acronym for 'western, educated, industrial, rich, democratic'. A review paper in Current Research in Environmental Sustainability points out that existing studies on the health benefits of nature have a massive 'western' bias (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/may/06/studies-on-natures-mental-health-benefits-show-massive-western-bias ). 95% of the peer-reviewed papers in the Current Research in Environmental Sustainability article had been conducted in high-income 'westernized' nations, namely the US, Europe and east Asia. Only 4% looked at medium-income nations (e.g. India) and none investigated low-income countries. Africa and South America only had one study each in the review. Most of the study subjects in the 174 papers were white. The mental health benefits of nature, consequently, may not apply equally to all world populations. There is a need to determine how much of the response is universal and how much culturally specific. 'Selling' the benefits of nature may depend on this.