Environmental psychology emerges as a fertile interdisciplinary field that analyses the reciprocal and dynamic relationships between human behaviour and the physical, social, and natural environment, conceptualising this interaction not as a deterministic transaction but as an interdependence of co-constitutive processes; drawing from the foundational works of Lewin, Barker, and later Proshansky and Altman, Roth (2000) outlines how environmental psychology integrates multiple perspectives—from cognitive mapping to territoriality, and from emotional resonance to design intervention—to understand and influence behavioural patterns in response to environmental stimuli; a crucial distinction is made between environmentally determined behaviour, where the individual acts as a response to environmental features, and environmentally determinative behaviour, where human actions actively reshape or degrade their surroundings; this dual approach allows for applied methodologies, such as behavioural mapping, and supports the development of environmentally responsible conduct, defined not merely by awareness of long-term ecological consequences, but by immediate contextual reinforcements, such as economic savings, social approval, or emotional gratification; for instance, while the excessive use of heating offers short-term comfort, it contributes to long-term environmental degradation—a paradox that environmental psychology seeks to resolve through context-sensitive interventions like sustainable design, educational campaigns, and the strategic use of norms; ultimately, Roth emphasizes the need to foster a value-based ecological consciousness, one that overcomes the anthropocentric logic in favour of ecocentric worldviews, promoting a deep, sustained commitment to environmental stewardship.
