Interaction Pattern Theory, Research and Design

As a species we came of age with nature – and more wild forms of nature – and the need for nature still exists within us, body and mind. Our lab has pioneered different areas, including children and nature, social and moral relationships with nature, environmental generational amnesia, the rediscovery of the wild, and ecopsychology.

Lam, L.-W, Kahn, P. H., Jr., & Weiss, T. (2023). Children in Hong Kong interacting with relatively wild nature (vs. domestic nature) engage in less dominating and more relational behaviors. Environmental Education Research. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2023.2169254

Weiss, T., Kahn, P. H., Jr., & Lam, L.-W. (2023). Children’s interactions with relatively wild nature associated with more relational behavior: A model of child-nature interaction in a forest preschool. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 86, 101941. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2022.101941

Lev, E., Kahn, P. H., Jr., Chen, H., & Esperum, G. (2020). Relatively wild urban parks can promote human resilience and flourishing: a case study of Discovery Park, Seattle, Washington. Frontiers in Sustainable Cities. doi.org/10.3389/frsc.2020.00002

Kahn, P. H., Jr., Ruckert, J. H., & Hasbach, P. H. (2012). A nature language. In P. H. Kahn, Jr. & P. H. Hasbach (Eds.), Ecopsychology: Science, totems, and the technological species (pp. 55-77). Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.