Why Plants Make Us Feel Good

Maureen K. Calamia  

Plants make us feel good. In fact, other elements of the natural world do also. Why is that?

In a word, it’s “biophilia.” A term coined by social psychologist Erich Fromm in the 1960s, biophilia is our biologically-inherited need to commune with nature. Harvard biologist E.O. Wilson, in his book Biophilia defines it as “the connections that human beings subconsciously seek with the rest of life.” In his biophilia hypothesis, Wilson has urged that these connections are imperative for healthy emotional development and wellbeing.¹

When I first heard about biophilia, a mere 24 months ago, it really resonated with me. I had recently learned about Nature Deficit Disorder (NDD)² an unofficial behavioral disorder that stems from the “disconnect” our children have with the natural world. Biophilia certainly explained the challenge of NDD and why it has a profound impact on our future.

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