Backyard Biophilia: A Survey Instrument to Measure an Attraction to Biodiversity in the Home Garden

Biodiversity is threatened by rapid urbanization, yet research on people’s attraction to biodiversity remains scarce. The Biophilia Reactivity Hypothesis proposes biophilia, defined as an attraction to biodiversity, as a temperament trait. We developed a short survey instrument to measure Backyard Biophilia (BB)—an attraction to biodiversity in the home garden—and tested it on a representative convenience sample (n = 2031). The BB scale met the first criteria for a temperament trait, individual variability along a normal distribution, as well as good internal consistency, and a two-factor solution (Gardening for Wildlife and Lawn and Order). Higher BB scores correlated with increased proenvironmental behaviors and were inversely correlated with biophobia, defined as a fear or aversion to biodiversity. BB was also negatively correlated with income, with the lowest income bracket showing the highest attraction to biodiversity. These findings emphasize the importance of understanding individual preferences in biodiversity conservation, particularly in residential settings, and suggest that the BB scale could provide initiatives aimed at fostering biophilic connections across diverse urban environments.