Green Care: A Conceptual Framework - Frisk i naturen

(Wilson, 1984) has been highly influential. The idea has been developed in
a collection of essays entitled, ‘The Biophilia Hypothesis’ edited by Kellert
and Wilson (1993).
Wilson described biophilia as “the innately emotional affiliation of human
beings to other living organisms. Innate means hereditary and hence part of
ultimate human nature. Biophilia, like other patterns of complex behaviour,
is likely to be mediated by rules of prepared and counter-prepared learning
– the tendency to learn or to resist learning certain responses as opposed
to others. From the scant evidence concerning its nature, biophilia is not a
single instinct but a complex of learning rules that can be teased apart and
analysed individually” (Kellert and Wilson, 1993, p. 31).
The biophilia hypothesis tries to explain how and why “the innate tendency
to focus on life and lifelike processes” (Wilson, 1984, p. 1) may be a primal
biological need of our species. Wilson further underlines that this need does
not only have an impact on our material and physical maintenance, but
also on the human craving for aesthetic, intellectual, cognitive, and even
spiritual meaning and satisfaction (Kellert and Wilson, 1993).
Kellert and Wilson (1992) conclude that the biophilia hypothesis is:
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inherent (that is, biologically based)
part of our species’ evolutionary heritage
associated with human competitive advantage and genetic fitness
likely to increase the possibility for achieving individual meaning and
personal fulfilment
the self- interested basis for a human ethic of care and conservation of
nature, most especially the diversity of life.
The biophilia hypothesis theorises that humans attune selectively to
the presence and condition of animate natural elements (i.e. plants and
animals). Animals can serve as human informants about the environment.
An animal at rest or in a non-agitated state may, for instance, signal wellbeing
and safety because no danger is around and thus may also lead to a
relaxed state of a human presence (Melson, 2000). Parks contain healthy
plants and flowers in appealing surroundings, encouraging the relaxed
feeling of being in a safe environment.
72 Green Care: A Conceptual Framework