Scope and Challenges of environmental psychology: A Review

Abstract

Environment is derived from the French words "Environ" or "bnvironner" meaning "around", "round about", "to surround, "to encompass". All these terms originated from the old French word "Virer" and "Viron", which means " a circle, around an organism, including humans. In the common parlance environ is limited to only the "surrounding neighbourhood of a specific place, the neighbourhood or vicinity", Thus environment is a broad concept encompassing the whole range of diverse surroundings in which humans perceive, experience and react to events and changes. It includes the land, water, vegetation, air and also the social system. It also includes the physical and ecological environment. It concerns man's ability to adapt both physically and mentally to the continuing change in environment. Environment is not static, but dynamic and the changes occur even if there is no human interference. The environment of any region is in state of dynamic equilibrium. This is called the balance of nature.