Conservation in psychology refers to a logical thinking ability that allows a person to determine that a certain quantity will remain the same despite adjustment of the container, shape, or apparent size). This concept was first studied by the psychologist Jean Piaget, who identified seven conservation tasks that children typically acquire in a specific order: number, length, liquid, mass, area, weight, and volume. Children who have mastered conservation understand that the properties of objects, such as quantity, volume, or mass, remain the same even when their appearance changes, so long as no additional objects are added or removed.
Conservation is an important concept in child development, as it is related to mathematical skills. Children who practice conservation tend to learn it more quickly, and children who conserve perform better at certain mathematical tasks. Most studies indicate that conservation occurs in a similar sequence and at similar ages across cultures, but that there are differences in the rate at which conservation (and other cognitive abilities) are acquired across cultures).
Conservation psychology, on the other hand, is the scientific study of the reciprocal relationships between humans and the rest of nature, with the goal of encouraging conservation of the natural world. This field of study draws from environmental psychology, as well as from other sub-disciplines of psychology, but it is distinctive in its focus on the natural environment and its explicit outcome orientation. Since most environmental problems are caused by human behaviors, human behavioral changes are necessary in order to address them. Psychologists have much to offer in terms of understanding human-nature experiences and what motivates people to protect such relationships.
