Modelling the Dynamics of Nature Experience and Nature Appreciation: An Agent-Based Approach to Extinction of Experience

The decrease in humans’ nature experience and appreciation represents a barrier to a sustainability transition. Nature experience and appreciation dynamically influence each other, which may lead to a vicious cycle, where nature experience and appreciation decrease over time (i.e., extinction of experience) or to a virtuous cycle, where both factors increase over time. This study investigates the emergence of a vicious or virtuous cycle by simulating the dynamics of nature experience and appreciation over time and across interacting individuals. An agent-based model was developed simulating interacting agents that experience and appreciate nature within an urban environment. The percentage of green spaces and the impact of assimilative social influence was evaluated via experimentation with the model. More green spaces foster the emergence of a virtuous cycle. A tipping point was identified when green spaces covered between 23-25% of agents’ environment. Assimilative social influence had an accelerating effect on the dynamics of nature experience and appreciation. Limitations and implications will be discussed.