When screens replace backyards: strategies to connect digital-media-oriented young people to nature

Abstract

Children’s connection to nature (CTN) is declining with each generation, a concerning trend given that CTN is positively linked to wellbeing and environmentalism. A primary cause of this decline is that twenty-first-century youth engage with screens for several hours each day, which to a large extent replaces nature-based play. Researchers have proposed that this change represents a transition in human orientation, particularly in Westernized societies, from nature (biophilia) to digital media (videophilia). Interventions promoting nature-based play must acknowledge digital-media use as a competing leisure pursuit, but the literature presents little guidance for designing programs that will attract young people who are more oriented toward digital media than nature. Drawing on a wide breadth of research, we address this gap through (1) exploring the implications of videophilia for nature-based programming and (2) summarizing recommendations from a narrative literature review for designing interventions that appeal to digital-media-oriented youth.

Keywords:

• connection to nature
• extinction of experience
• digital-media use
• nature deficit disorder
• videophilia

Acknowledgements 

The authors would like to thank the Problem Lab at the University of Waterloo for their contribution in the conceptual stages of this research. The manuscript benefitted greatly from the input of the Editor and three anonymous reviewers.

Funding

The authors would like to thank the Faculty of Environment, University of Waterloo, for funding a Research Assistantship in support of this poject.

Disclosure statement 

No conflicts of interest to disclose.

Notes

1 We recognize that the definition of ‘nature’ is contested, including in the context of CTN. Fletcher (2017) provides a starting point for those interested in this discussion.

2 Early conceptualizations of CTN were largely grounded in Western belief systems, tending to emphasize the cognitive dimension, but recent work has presented a more holistic description of the concept, drawing significant inspiration from non-Western perspectives (Zylstra et al. 2014). Indeed, the rejection of non-Western ideologies has been identified as a driver of declining CTN (Kimmerer 2002). Despite this shifting theoretical perspective, empirical research on trends related to CTN and its importance (e.g. evidence of its decline and the related causal factors, its relationship to pro-environmental behavior) remains predominantly Western-based (Ives et al. 2017). However, the global spread of Western culture is likely to bring similar challenges to non-Western societies and preliminary research has linked CTN to environmentalism in developing countries (Rosa, Profice, and Collado 2018). Therefore, although the evidence we present that underlines the theoretical basis for this paper is drawn primarily from Western countries, the geographic relevance of our framework and recommendations is only expected to spread. Nevertheless, in the remainder of the paper, when we refer to CTN, it should be understood that we are aware of the broader context underlying its conceptual development and evidence base, and the resulting limitations.

3 The term ‘Extinction of Experience’ is commonly cited within the CTN literature, referring generally to a decline in direct interactions with nature. When considering the diverse ways that humans can ‘experience’ nature (including when human–nature interactions are mediated through digital technology), however, the term is perhaps used too casually in the literature as it could be taken to imply that non-traditional interactions with nature are not meaningful experiences. We believe that societal change, including the changing ways that humans experience nature, must be acknowledged and embraced (see Clayton et al. (2017) for an examination of how ‘experience’ of nature is changing).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Rachael C. Edwards

Rachael C. Edwards is a PhD candidate in the School of Planning at the University of Waterloo, Canada. Previously, she completed a B.Sc. (Hons) in Biology at the University of Saskatchewan, Canada, and an M.Sc. in Conservation and Biodiversity at the University of Exeter, UK. Rachael's research explores cultural diversity in the use of parks and protected areas. Through this work, she aims to promote equity in the planning and management of public open space to improve community health and wellbeing and engender conservation support. Rachael has published research in the Journal of Applied Ecology and currently manages the grassroots Community Champions program for the charity Sustainable Merton, UK. She previously served as the Program Director for the Canadian charity Waterloo Region Nature and completed research for the Smart Prosperity Institute.

Brendon M. H. Larson

Brendon M. H. Larson is a Professor in the School of Environment, Resources, and Sustainability in the Faculty of Environment at the University of Waterloo. His research concerns the social dimensions of biodiversity conservation, for example regarding how people perceive and evaluate conservation options in the current era of dramatic global change. He has published over 70 refereed journal articles and book chapters, as well as the book Metaphors for Environmental Sustainability: Redefining Our Relationship with Nature (Yale University Press, 2011). He has served as President of Ontario Nature and on the editorial board of the journal Diversity and Distributions, and he is currently the Domain Editor for ‘Climate, Ecology and Conservation’ for WIREs Climate Change.