Investigation of the Relationship Between Biophilia Levels and Problem-solving Skills of 60-72 Month-old Children Attending Preschool Education

Year 2025, Volume: 16 Issue: 1, 1678 - 1696, 28.04.2025

İrem Nur Direk , Öznur Purtaş Sönmez

https://doi.org/10.51460/baebd.1551045

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the relationship between biophilia levels and problem-solving skills in 60-72-month-old children attending preschool education. This study was conducted using the correlational screening method, which is a general screening model within the quantitative research methodology. In this study, 305 preschool children aged 60-72 months who were selected by convenience sampling and who continued their education in the central district of Yozgat province participated. ‘Biophilia Scale for Preschool Children’ and “Problem Solving Skills Scale for Children” were used to collect data within the scope of the study. The collected quantitative data were analyzed using the appropriate statistical software. As a result of the data analysis, when the problem-solving skills and biophilia levels of 60-72-month-old preschool children participating in the study were examined according to gender, no significant difference was found between genders. However, the relationship between biophilia levels and problem-solving skills was analyzed, and it was found that this relationship was at a very low level, but not significant. This result may indicate that there is no strong causal relationship between biophilia and problem solving, or that these two variables do not explain each other.

Keywords

Biophilia, problem solving skills, preschool

Okul Öncesi Eğitime Devam Eden 60-72 Aylık Çocukların Biyofili Seviyeleri ile Problem Çözme Becerileri Arasındaki İlişkinin İncelenmesi

Abstract

Bu araştırmanın amacı okul öncesi eğitimine devam eden 60-72 aylık çocukların biyofili seviyeleri ile problem çözme becerileri arasındaki ilişkinin incelenmesidir. Yapılan bu çalışmada nicel araştırma metodolojisi içinde yer alan genel tarama modellerinden korelasyonel tarama yöntemi kullanılarak gerçekleştirilmiştir. Araştırmaya, kolayda örnekleme yöntemiyle seçilen ve Yozgat ili Merkez ilçesinde eğitim-öğretime devam eden 60-72 aylık 305 okul öncesi dönem çocuğu katılmıştır. Çalışma kapsamında verilerin toplanmasında “Okul Öncesi Dönem Çocukları İçin Biyofili Ölçeği” ile “Çocuklar İçin Problem Çözme Becerisi Ölçeği” kullanılmıştır. Toplanan nicel veriler uygun istatistik programı ile analiz edilmiştir. Veri analizi sonucunda, araştırmaya katılan 60-72 aylık okul öncesi dönem çocuklarının cinsiyete göre problem çözme becerileri ile biyofili seviyeleri incelendiğinde, cinsiyetler arasında anlamlı bir farklılık bulunamamıştır. Bununla birlikte biyofili seviyeleri ile problem çözme becerileri arasındaki ilişki incelenmiş ve bu ilişkinin çok düşük düzeyde olduğu ancak bu ilişkinin anlamlı olmadığı bulunmuştur. Bu sonuç, biyofili ve problem çözme arasında güçlü bir nedensel ilişkinin olmadığını veya en azından bu iki değişkenin birbirini açıklamadığını gösterebilir.

Keywords

Biyofili, problem çözme becerisi, okul öncesi

References

• Ahmetoğlu, E. (2019). The contributions of familial and environmental factors to children's relationships with nature and outdoor activities. Early Child Development and Care, 189 (2), 233-243.
• Bahri, H., El Mlili, N., Akande, O. N., Kerkeb, A. I., & Madrane, M. (2021). Dataset of Moroccan nursing students’ intention to use and accept information and communication technologies and social media platforms for learning. Data in brief, 37, 107230.
• Barbiero, G., Berto, R., Venturella, A., & Maculan, N. (2021). Bracing Biophilia: When biophilic design promotes pupil’s attentional performance, perceived restorativeness and affiliation with Nature. Environment, Development and Sustainability, 1-15.
• Bayrak, A., & Akkaynak, M. (2020). The effect of creative drama education in preschool education on emotion regulation and social problem solving skills. Academic Journal of History and Thought, 7(2), 1343-1381.
• Beames, S., Higgins, P., & Nicol, R. (2012). Learning outside the classroom: Theory and guidelines for practice. Routledge.
• Bentler, P. M., & Bonett, D. G. (1980). Significance tests and goodness of fit in the analysis of covariance structures. Psychological bulletin, 88(3), 588.
• Blair, C., & Razza, R. P. (2007). Relating effortful control, executive function, and false belief understanding to emerging math and literacy ability in kindergarten. Child development, 78(2), 647-663.
• Bratman, G. N., Anderson, C. B., Berman, M. G., Cochran, B., Vries, S. d., Flanders, J., … & Daily, G. C. (2019). Nature and mental health: an ecosystem service perspective. Science Advances, 5(7). https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aax0903.
• Capaldi, C. A., Dopko, R. L., & Zelenski, J. M. (2014). The relationship between nature connectedness and happiness: A meta-analysis. Frontiers in psychology, 5, 92737.
• Chen, T. Y. (2019). Multiple criteria decision analysis under complex uncertainty: A Pearson‐like correlation‐based Pythagorean fuzzy compromise approach. International Journal of Intelligent Systems, 34(1), 114-151.
• Coventry, P., Brown, J. V. E., Pervin, J., Brabyn, S., Pateman, R., Breedvelt, J., … & White, P. C. L. (2021). Nature-based outdoor activities for mental and physical health: systematic review and meta-analysis. SSM - Population Health, 16, 100934. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmph.2021.100934.
• Derrick, B., Russ, B., Toher, D., & White, P. (2017). Test statistics for the comparison of means for two samples that include both paired and independent observations. Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods, 16, 137-157.
• Gaete, J., Sánchez, M., Nejaz, L., & Otegui, M. (2019). Mental Health Prevention in Preschool Children: study protocol for a feasibility and acceptability randomised controlled trial of a culturally adapted version of the I Can Problem Solve (ICPS) Programme in Chile. Trials, 20, 1-14.
• Ghasemi, A., & Zahediasl, S. (2012). Normality tests for statistical analysis: a guide for non-statisticians. International journal of endocrinology and metabolism, 10(2), 486.
• Grahn, P., & Stigsdotter, A.U. (2004). Landscape planing and stres. Urban Forestry, 2(1), 1- 18.
• Grinde, B., & Patil, G. G. (2009). Biophilia: does visual contact with nature impact on health and well-being?. International journal of environmental research and public health, 6(9), 2332-2343. Güven, Y., & Kavuncuoğlu, M. K. (2020). Examining the relationship between creativity levels and problem solving skills of preschool children. Journal of Ahmet Keleşoğlu Faculty of Education, 2(1), 37-53.
• Güven, Y., Ayvaz, E., & Göktaş, İ. (2019). Investigation of the relationship between theory of mind and social problem solving skills of preschool children/Okul öncesi dönem çocuklarının zihin kuramı ve sosyal problem çözme becerileri arasındaki ilişkinin incelenmesi. Erken Çocukluk Çalışmaları Dergisi, 3(1), 76.
• Hair, J. F. (2009). Multivariate data analysis.
• Hair, J. F., Black, W. C., Babin, B. J., Anderson, R. E., & Tatham, R. (2018). Multivariate data analysis . Uppersaddle River.
• Hossain, M., Sultana, A., Ma, P., Fan, Q., Sharma, R., Purohit, N., … & Sharmin, D. F. (2020). Effects of natural environment on mental health: an umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses.. https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/4r3mh.
• Jöreskog, K. G., & Sörbom, D. (1993). LISREL 8: Structural equation modeling with the SIMPLIS command language. Scientific software international.
• Kals, E., Schumacher, D., & Montada, L. (1999). Emotional affinity toward nature as a motivational basis to protect nature. Environment and behavior, 31(2), 178-202.
• Karakaya, F., Bozkurt, S., & Yılmaz, M. (2022). Developing preschool students’ awareness of living things: fungi in nature. Pedagogical Research, 7(1), em0116. https://doi.org/10.29333/pr/11552
• Karasar, N., & Yöntemi, B. A. (2005). Nobel Yayın Dağıtım. Ankara-2003.
• Kim, S. K., Kim, S., Park, J., Han, E., Kim, H., Choi, Y. G., ... & Kim, K. (2024). Parametric analysis and normality assumption in phase 3 trials with small sample sizes.
• Kristinsdóttir, A. (2018). Biophilia and Sustainable Museum Education Practices. Museum & Society, 16(3), 398-413.
• Lanzaro, B., & Ucci, M. (2024). Teacher and Parent Perception of Biophilic Conditions in Primary-School Environments and Their Impact on Children’s Wellbeing. Architecture, 4(2), 367-389.
• Lumber, R., Richardson, M., & Sheffield, D. (2017). Beyond knowing nature: Contact, emotion, compassion, meaning, and beauty are pathways to nature connection. PloS one, 12(5), e0177186.
• Maison, M., Darmaji, D., Kurniawan, D. A., Astalini, A., Kuswanto, K., & Ningsi, A. P. (2021). Correlation of science process skills on critical thinking skills in junior high school in jambi city. Jurnal Penelitian Fisika Dan Aplikasinya (JPFA), 11(1), 29-38.
• Norman, G. R., & Streiner, D. L. (2008). Biostatistics: the bare essentials. PMPH USA (BC Decker).
• Oguz, V., & Akyol, A. K. (2015). Problem Solving Skill Scale (PSS) validity and reliability study. Çukurova University Journal of Faculty of Education, 44(1), 105-122.
• Özkan, H. K., & Aksoy, A. B. (2017). An investigation of maternal emotion socialization behaviors, children’s self‐perceptions, and social problem‐solving skills. Eurasian Journal of Educational Research, 16(67), 125-139.
• Özbey, S., & Köyceğiz, M. (2020). A study on the effect of the social skill education on the academic self respect and problem solving skills of the pre-school children. International e-Journal of Educational Studies, 4(8), 176-189. Preuss, M., Nieuwenhuijsen, M., Marquez, S., Cirach, M., Dadvand, P., Triguero-Mas, M., ... & Zijlema, W. (2019). Low childhood nature exposure is associated with worse mental health in adulthood. International journal of environmental research and public health, 16(10), 1809.
• Prudon, P. (2015). Confirmatory factor analysis as a tool in research using questionnaires: a critique. Comprehensive Psychology, 4, 03-CP.
• Rice, C. S., & Torquati, J. C. (2013). Assessing connections between young children's affinity for nature and their experiences in natural outdoor settings in preschools. Children Youth and Environments, 23(2), 78-102.
• Sefalı, A. (2019). Investigation of the effects of nature education activities on the biophilia levels of pre-service science teachers] (PhD thesis). Atatürk üniversitesi, Eğitim Bilimleri Enstitüsü.Erzurum.
• Sefalı, A., & Köse, E. O. (2021). The Effect of Nature Education Activities on Biophilia Levels of Science Teacher Candidates. Journal of Science Learning, 4(4), 357-364.
• Sella, E., Bolognesi, M., Bergamini, E., Masón, L., & Pazzaglia, F. (2023). Psychological benefits of attending forest school for preschool children: a systematic review. Educational Psychology Review, 35(1). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-023-09750-4 Ştefan, C. A., & Miclea, M. (2013). Effects of a multifocused prevention program on preschool children's competencies and behavior problems. Psychology in the Schools, 50(4), 382-402. Trilling, B., & Fadel, C. (2012). 21st century skills: Learning for life in our times. John Wiley & Sons.
• Ulrich, R.S., Simons, R.F., Losito, B.D., Fiorito, E., Miles, M.A., & Zelson, M. (1991). Stress recovery during exposure to natural and urban environments, Journal of Environmental Psychology, 11(3), 201-230.
• Walker, S., Irving, K., & Berthelsen, D. (2002). Gender influences on preschool children's social problem-solving strategies. The Journal of Genetic Psychology, 163(2), 197-209.
• Wilson, O. E. (1984). Biophilia. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
• Wojciehowski, M., & Ernst, J. (2018). Creative by Nature: Investigating the Impact of Nature Preschools on Young Children's Creative Thinking. International Journal of Early Childhood Environmental Education, 6(1), 3-20.
• Yılmaz, S. (2017). Investigation of 5-year-old preschool children’s biophilia and children’s and their mothers’ outdoor setting preferences.
• Yılmaz, S., & Olgan, R. (2017). An investigation of preschool children’s affinity towards nature (biophilia). Mersin University Journal of the Faculty of Education, 13(3), 1106-1129.
• Zamani, Z. (2016). Young children’s preferences: what stimulates children’s cognitive play in outdoor preschools?. Journal of Early Childhood Research, 15(3), 256-274. https://doi.org/10.1177/1476718x15616831
• Zeng, N., Ayyub, M., Sun, H., Xu, W., Xiang, P., & Gao, Z. (2017). Effects of physical activity on motor skills and cognitive development in early childhood: a systematic review. BioMed Research International, 2017, 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/2760716