Urban green cover as a predictor of altruism: A study of Dehradun and Haridwar

Pages:317-320
Sangeeta Khullar (Department of Psychology, MKP Postgraduate College, Dehradun)
Anjali Bhatia (Faculty Member at ICFAI University, Dehradun and Life Skills Mentor, Eupsychia)

While industrialization and urbanization have indisputable economic benefits, they also have unpleasant psychosocial consequences such as urban ‘angst’, incivility, crime, lack of empathy and reduced social support. Over the long term, such effects can pose a serious threat to individual stability and mental health. They may also defeat broader objectives such as the fair distribution of resources and maintaining the sustainability of human habitat. A trait such as Altruism may play a significant role in moderating the negative effects of urbanization. In turn, this trait is fostered by certain features of the physical environment, including the amount of green cover in one’s residential neighbourhood. The present study investigated the effect of low, medium and high amounts of green cover in urban areas on the variable Altruism. Data was collected from two major cities of the state of Uttarakhand, IndiaDehradun and Haridwar. Using Rushton et al’s Self-Report Altruism (SRA) scale, it was found that there is a statistically significant difference between the three green cover areas on altruism. Age as a predictor of altruism was not found to be significant. A process model was devised to explain the linkages between green cover and altruism.