In this article, Researcher Network member Jana Krizanova examines how compassionate, environmentally connected lifestyles may help foster creative thinking
“Study the science of art. Study the art of science. Develop your senses – learn how to see. Realise that everything connects to everything else.”
Leonardo Da Vinci
In a world increasingly shaped by screens, speed and urban living, many of us feel disconnected from the natural environment and, therefore, from the true nature of ourselves. At the same time, creativity has never been more important – not only for the arts, but for solving the complex ethical and environmental challenges we face in our everyday lives.
Our recent research explored a compelling question: are vegans more likely to engage in creative behaviour, and could time spent in nature help explain why?
Veganism as a reflective identity
Veganism is often described as a diet, but for many people it is a deeply held ethical commitment to a more compassionate lifestyle. Research shows that veganism is closely tied to identity development, values and moral reflection rather than simple food preference (Fox and Ward 2008; Ruby 2012). Choosing to avoid all animal-derived products frequently involves questioning social norms and aligning daily habits with personal principles based on the integrity of all sentient beings.
Creativity, meanwhile, is strongly associated with openness to experience, flexible thinking and intrinsic motivation (Hennessey and Amabile 2010). These characteristics overlap with the reflective processes many vegans report when adopting and sustaining their lifestyle.
Creativity itself is not limited to artistic genius. It includes everyday acts such as generating novel ideas, expressing oneself in original ways, engaging in artistic and imaginative activities, experimenting with food, writing, making art or approaching problems differently (Silvia et al. 2014). These “little c” creative behaviours are essential to human flourishing and innovation. We conducted surveys and analysed data from a representative sample of 2,400 Andalusian adults using hierarchical ordinary least squares (OLS) regression and mediation analyses. Our findings suggest that vegans report engaging in these forms of everyday creative behaviour more frequently than meat eaters.
The restorative power of nature
One of the most powerful findings in environmental psychology is that contact with nature enhances wellbeing and cognitive functioning. Time spent in green spaces has been linked to improved attention, emotional regulation and even divergent thinking – the ability to generate multiple novel solutions to a problem (Atchley et al. 2012).
The concept of biophilia, introduced by Edward O. Wilson, proposes that humans have an innate affinity for the natural world (Wilson 1986). Reconnecting with forests, parks, coastlines or countryside landscapes may therefore activate deeply rooted psychological processes that enhance clarity and imagination.
Research has demonstrated that immersive time in natural settings can significantly improve creative reasoning (Atchley et al. 2012). Similarly, individuals who feel more connected to nature tend to display more innovative cognitive styles (Leong et al. 2014). In our study, we found that time spent in nature was a strong predictor of self-reported creative behaviour. Individuals who more frequently visited natural environments tended to report greater engagement in creative activities.
Vegans, nature and creative engagement
Veganism is frequently associated with heightened environmental concern and ecological awareness (Fox and Ward 2008). Those who identify as vegan often describe a stronger sense of connection to the natural world and a desire to protect it.
Our findings suggest that nature engagement plays an important role in understanding the link between veganism and creativity. Being vegan was positively associated with creative behaviour. However, part of this relationship appeared to operate through more frequent contact with natural environments.
In practical terms, vegans may engage more creatively partly because they spend more time in nature, and nature itself supports the psychological conditions that nurture creative thinking.
Creativity and flourishing
Creativity is closely linked to what psychologists describe as eudaimonic wellbeing – a sense of meaning, purpose and personal growth. Research has shown that plant-rich dietary patterns are associated with greater curiosity and creative engagement in daily life (Conner et al. 2015). While veganism extends beyond nutrition alone, plant-based living may contribute to both physiological and psychological processes that support flourishing.
Nature connectedness has also been associated with subjective well-being and life satisfaction (Nisbet et al. 2011). When ethical alignment, environmental engagement and self-expression combine, they may create a lifestyle that fosters both creativity and personal fulfilment.
Why this matters
Creativity is essential to the vegan movement. From developing innovative plant-based foods to designing effective campaigns and educational resources, progress depends on imaginative thinking.
If contact with nature strengthens creativity, then encouraging outdoor engagement within vegan communities could have wide-reaching benefits. Community gardening, conservation volunteering, rewilding initiatives and outdoor events may not only support environmental aims but also stimulate innovative thought.
This research does not suggest that veganism automatically causes creativity. Human behaviour is complex and shaped by many influences. However, the findings indicate that value-driven lifestyles rooted in environmental connection may provide fertile ground for creative engagement.
In a time of ecological urgency, creativity is not a luxury – it is a necessity. Reconnecting with nature while living in alignment with compassionate principles may help generate the ideas required to build a more sustainable and just future.
“Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.”
Albert Einstein
References
Atchley RA, Strayer DL and Atchley P (2012) Creativity in the wild: Improving creative reasoning through immersion in natural settings. PLoS ONE 7: e51474, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0051474
Conner TS, Brookie KL, Richardson AC and Polak MA (2015) On carrots and curiosity: Eating fruit and vegetables is associated with greater flourishing in daily life. British Journal of Health Psychology 20: 413–427, https://doi.org/10.1111/bjhp.12113
Fox N and Ward K (2008) You are what you eat? Vegetarianism, health and identity. Social Science & Medicine 66: 2585–2595, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2008.02.011
Hennessey BA and Amabile TM (2010) Creativity. Annual Review of Psychology 61: 569–598, https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psych.093008.100416
Leong LYC, Fischer R and McClure J (2014) Are nature lovers more innovative? The relationship between connectedness with nature and cognitive styles. Journal of Environmental Psychology 40: 57–63, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2014.05.007
Nisbet EK, Zelenski JM and Murphy SA (2011) Happiness is in our nature: Exploring nature relatedness as a contributor to subjective well-being. Journal of Happiness Studies 12: 303–322, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-010-9197-7
Ruby MB (2012) Vegetarianism. A blossoming field of study. Appetite 58: 141–150, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2011.09.019
Silvia PJ, Beaty RE et al. (2014) Everyday creativity in daily life: An experience-sampling study of “little c” creativity. Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts 8: 183–188, https://doi.org/10.1037/a0035722
Wilson EO (1986) Biophilia. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
