Developing a novel instrument to assess human–nature relational values

Abstract Relational values—the values embedded in relationships between people and nature—are increasingly recognized as critical for understanding sustainability transformations, particularly in relation to pro‐environmental behaviours and well‐being. Existing assessment tools often fail to capture the nuanced, multidimensional nature of these relational values, limiting both empirical insight and applied use in sustainability research and practice. This study describes the development and empirical refinement of the Human–Nature Relational Values (HNRV) instrument, designed to assess the strength and multidimensionality of individuals' relational orientations across four dimensions: Kinship, Reciprocity, Identity and Well‐being. Using a three‐phase process—comprehensive literature review and conceptual analysis to develop a pilot instrument, academic and participant validation to refine items and confirmatory factor analysis with a diverse sample ( n = 269) to test the four‐factor structure—the study provides preliminary empirical support for the HNRV and guides targeted revisions for improved conceptual clarity and measurement validity. The revised HNRV offers a theoretically grounded, psychometrically promising tool to distinguish relational values from broader human–nature connection constructs, enabling tailored interventions, educational programmes and policies that respond to diverse relational orientations while supporting transformative sustainability research and practice in environmental psychology. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.