NATURE IS SCARY, DISGUSTING, AND UNCOMFORTABLE

The relationships between fear expectancy, disgust sensitivity, desire for modem comforts, and preference for wildland and built environment s and related activities were examined. Using a population of predomin antly suburban and rural eighth-grade students (n=450), all three vari ables were found to be significantly related to preferences for wildla nd environments, recreational activities, and vocational preferences. Those with high fear expectancy, disgust sensitivity, and desire for m odem comforts were more likely to prefer manicured park settings and u rban environments and to dislike wildland environments. They were also more likely to prefer indoor social recreation activities and express significantly less interest in future careers working in outdoor envi ronments. Finally, they were less likely to prefer appropriate water b odies for conducting an aquatic entomology lab. Studying negative perc eptions may comple ment existing environmental preference research, wh ich has tended to focus on why people prefer certain environments.