#Springwatch #WildMorningswithChris: Engaging With Nature via Social Media and Wellbeing During the COVID-19 Lockdown.

Shi Xu,Sarah E Golding,Emma V White,Kayleigh J Wyles,Caroline Scarles,Beth F T Brockett,Cheryl Willis,Birgitta Gatersleben,George Murrell

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.701769

Shi Xu, Sarah E Golding + Show 7 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.701769

Copy DOI

Abstract

It is widely understood that nature engagement benefits human wellbeing. Such benefits have been found for real as well as virtual engagements. However, little is known about the role of nature-based videos in social media on wellbeing. With COVID-19 restrictions limiting people’s direct engagement with natural environments, this study critically examined people’s reactions to nature videos posted on Facebook during the first UK COVID-19 lockdown in 2020. Data consisted of comments on videos containing highlights from the British Broadcasting Corporation’s (BBC) Springwatch 2020 television series, and from a UK television presenter and naturalist’s (Chris Packham) livestream videos, posted on Facebook from March to July, 2020. Looking at the quantitative profile of a range of videos (i.e. views, likes and shares) and a detailed analysis of the 143,265 comments using thematic analysis, three major themes were generated as: (1) engaging with nature via social media is emotionally complicated, (2) cognitive and reflective reactions are generated from social media nature engagement and (3) engagement with nature-based social media as a mechanism for coping with stress during COVID-19. These findings inform understanding of how nature-related social media content and associated commentary have supported wellbeing throughout the ongoing pandemic and their importance as a means of continued support for wellbeing.‘We feel that the injection of wildlife into people’s homes, particularly at this point, would be really valuable and uplifting’.— Chris Packham, 2020

Highlights

Human experiences of nature represent a multidisciplinary topic of increasing importance to researchers
At least among this group of commenters, watching and engaging with nature virtually via social media during COVID-19 lockdown can elicit a variety of hedonic wellbeing outcomes, such as positive emotions and feeling free to express negative emotions
We found that people reported virtual nature engagement via social media to be therapeutic, soothing, healing and useful for combatting loneliness

Summary

Introduction

Human experiences of nature represent a multidisciplinary topic of increasing importance to researchers. Nature experiences are studied in a wide range of environments, from small urban gardens to dramatic forest landscapes (e.g. Natural England, 2020a,b) and occur at different levels of intensity, ranging from brief encounters with nature to longer term interactions (Bratman et al, 2015) These engagements have an array of positive outcomes on our physical health, such as reductions in heart rate, cortisol levels and blood pressure (Twohig-Bennett and Jones, 2018). Spending time in nature benefits our mood (McMahan and Estes, 2015) This includes increased positive affect (e.g. heightened levels of happiness; MacKerron and Mourato, 2013), self-transcendent emotions (e.g. awe, gratitude and wonder; Neill et al, 2018) and reduced negative affect (e.g. decreased feelings of anger and sadness; Bowler et al, 2010). These examples indicate hedonic wellbeing (e.g. Huta and Waterman, 2014; Disabato et al, 2016), focusing on happiness that stems from pleasurable, enjoyable experiences with limited discomfort (Huta and Waterman, 2014)

Methods

Results

Conclusion