A new study reveals that despite people’s strong belief in the benevolence of nature, natural products and events are often no safer, more effec

The Natural Bias: Why We Think Nature is Better

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2024-10-11 10:00:15

A new study reveals that despite people’s strong belief in the benevolence of nature, natural products and events are often no safer, more effective, or more beneficial than their artificial counterparts — and sometimes, they’re even worse.

From organic food to herbal remedies, many consumers automatically assume that natural products are better—safer, healthier, and more effective.

But a recent study published by Cambridge University Press on October 9, 2024, turns this assumption on its head, showing that people’s belief in the benevolence of nature is not always grounded in reality.

The researchers (Paul Rozin of the University of Pennsylvania, Richard Chen of the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, Sydney E. Scott of Washington University, and Corey Cusimano of the Yale School of Management) found that American adults largely preferred natural products, even when they were told these items were chemically identical to their artificial alternatives.

In fact, 97% of study participants agreed with the statement “Nature is wonderful.” Yet, nature isn’t always as benevolent as we like to think.