Getting to know nature: evaluating the effects of the Get to Know Program on children’s connectedness with nature

Abstract

People in industrialized countries may be losing their connection with nature. The Get to Know Program (Get to Know) is a multi-faceted program aimed at encouraging direct connection with nature through a variety of activities (observations of wildlife, hiking, creative arts, and special events), specifically among youth. Three studies assessed the effects of three Get to Know program activities on youth’s implicit connectedness with nature (measured using a computer based game). Participants were youth recruited from southern California schools or youth organizations. Participation in the Get to Know Program’s Creative Arts Contest was associated with increased implicit connectedness with nature. However, participation in the Get to Know Natural Treasure Adventure and Virtual Hike did not have an effect on connectedness with nature. Implications of these findings are important for agencies seeking to find effective tools for outreach focused on connecting participants with nature.

Keywords:

• connectedness with nature
• implicit association test
• environmental program

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. In this game version, the basic IAT principles are integrated into a colorful, animated computerized platform in which two frogs are shown on lily pads, one on the left and one on the right side of the screen. Stimuli fall from top to bottom of the screen and participants receive points for correctly categorizing the stimuli by choosing the frog that corresponds to the correct category. More points are received for categorizing stimuli quickly and accurately (for example, participants match their own name with the category ‘Me’ or the category ‘Other,’ with participants own name being categorized into the ‘Other’ category being an incorrect response). In addition to animated frogs and falling stimuli, the game provides both visual and auditory feedback for correct and incorrect responses. FlexiTwins provides scores pursuant to an improved scoring algorithm (see Greenwald, Nosek, and Banaji 2003). When using word stimuli, FlexiTwins should only be used with participants who can read (~9 years old and up). Finally, FlexiTwins can be administered across several different platforms (e.g. PC, Internet, PocketPC, iPad) and is available for download at http://faculty.csusm.edu/schultz/ or from the itunes store to download the app to an iPad.

2. Thirty-eight students from a Southern California school completed both the desktop version and the iPad version of FlexiTwins in order to validate the iPad version. In comparisons of sub-scores of the game (D1 and D2), both versions were internally consistent (iPad, r = .71, p < .01; desktop, r = .71, p < .01). The iPad D-scores (M = .42, SD = .44) were significantly correlated with the desktop version (M = .61, SD = .49), r = .47, p < .01. Order of administration was randomized, and no order effects were obtained for either the iPad (t(36) = 1.31, p = .20) or desktop version (t(36) = 1.31, p = .20). Finally, the D-scores of the iPad version were significantly correlated with an explicit measure of connectedness with nature (Inclusion of Nature in Self: Schultz 2001, 2002: M = 4.03, SD = 1.13), r = .33, p < .05. These results suggest that the iPad version of FlexiTwins provides a usable platform that is both reliable and valid.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Get to Know Society; U.S. Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station, the U.S. Forest Service, Wildlife, Water, Fish, Air and Rare Plants program and the Conservation Education program, Washington Office.