Nature-Based Recreation on the Banks of the Tapajós River: Child-Nature Connectedness in the Vista Alegre do Juá Occupation, Santarém, Pará
contactedness to nature; childhood; leisure in nature; behavioral mapping; nature relatedness.
Previous studies have shown that nature fascinates human beings. When it comes to research involving children, the contact with nature can be influenced by "outdoor recreation" also known as "nature-based recreation" (NBR). NBR can enhance children's connectedness to nature (NC), which comprises the affective, cognitive and behavioral relationship between human beings and nature. The proposed research aims to understand how children from the Vista Alegre do Juá occupation, located in the urban region of Santarém/Pará, connect with nature on the banks of the Tapajós River, from the perspective of NBR. A total of 65 children between the ages of 8 and 12, regardless of gender, living in the study area will take part in the study. We will adopt a multi-method approach, in two stages, with the following data collection instruments: person-centered behavioral mapping, with naturalistic observations and a field diary, and the application of a psychometric instrument: the Inclusion of Nature in the Self Scale (INS) by Schultz (2001). The data will be analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, with the help of softwares such as JASP, Jamovi and PAST. We hope to demonstrate possible associations between NC and NBR, based on children's interactions with the Tapajós River.