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

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

Understanding the Role of Nature Engagement in Supporting Health and Wellbeing during COVID-19

“…Given the restrictions on mobility and social interactions during COVID-19, there has been an increase in digital technology use [ 49 ]. Evidence further suggests an increase in digital nature engagement to support wellbeing during COVID-19, including webcams to view wildlife and natural environments [ 50 ], engagement with nature videos via social media [ 51 ], and online nature challenges [ 52 , 53 ]. Nature websites, such as the RSPB website, saw an increase in visits by 69% from the previous year, with 79% new users accessing the website [ 39 ].…”

Anthropause environmentalisms: Noticing natures with the Self‐Isolating Bird Club

“…Quantitative accounts have demonstrated how ‘nature‐related social media commentary’ supported wellbeing throughout the pandemic (Xu et al, 2021, p. 1). Yet these studies can be enhanced through attention to the qualitative conditioning of anthropause.…”

The transformative virtual experience paradigm: the case of Airbnb’s online experience

“…Traveling to foreign places entails a constellation of novel occasions and encounters that could promote knowledge acquisition and self-exaltation (Falk et al , 2012), reflecting experiences often sought by tourists (Lu et al , 2021). However, although these needs have been mainly researched in corporeal travel, virtual tourists are also driven to seek and absorb experiential attributes that accommodate these essential human needs (Xu et al , 2021; Tarrant et al , 2018).…”